The Dark Knight of Tomorrow
by Archergreatestsecretagent
Summary: Sequel to Injustice Beyond. The Regime has fallen. The world is chaotic. Now Logan must fully step into his role as Gotham's new protector. Now he begins his journey into becoming the Dark Knight. An AU of Batman, Batman Beyond, and Injustice.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright everyone here it is the sequel to Injustice Beyond!**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

 **This is an AU of Batman, Batman Beyond, and Injustice. With some elements of other fandoms.**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

My story verse is comprised of DC Comics, Archer, and Blue Bloods.

The Dark Knight of Tomorrow

Chapter 1

The year is 2035. For the past twenty-two years the world has been under the rule of a dictator. A dictator with fist made of steel. Superman and his regime has fallen. Two months ago, the new Batman had defeated them with the aid of the GCPD as well as Aquaman and his Atlanteans. Aquaman has been pardoned with his involvement with the regime because he allied with them to protect his people. Hal Jordan, Diana of Themyscira, and Kal-El have been imprisoned. Each individual is being held in a separate prison to keep them divided. Their trial date has not been set yet. There forces have been divided. Many soldiers imprisoned or have accepted deals to build up the U.S. military once again. The bulk of their army comprised of U.S. men and women.

The world council have been spending these pasts months rebuilding the world. Each country seeing what true dictatorship is like, have all agreed to work together to build a better and safer world.

All countries have ceased using nuclear weapons and are pursuing a cleaner safer energy source.

Even Aquaman has joined the World Council to work together with the surface world and create a truly unified Earth.

But, the Regime's fall has created a power vacuum in the world. And crime is returning with a vengeance.

* * *

 **Gotham City**

A jewelry store window is smashed. A crashing sound reverberates through the night. Five masked men enter through the broken window. They start grabbing what they can. Diamond necklaces, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, gold bracelets and necklaces, watches, diamond rings.

"Come on! Let's make this quick" the leader of the groups says.

"Yeah before HE shows up" another says lowly.

"HE?"

"Yeah. A friend of mine ran into him last week. Broke both his legs and rest of his crew were sent to the morgue" the masked thief clarifies.

"You're full of it!" Another thief spits out in disbelief.

"It's true!" The thief tries to persuade his fellow thieves. "They say he can fly" he says in a hushed tone.

"I hear he drinks human blood" another thief familiar with the rumors inserts himself into the conversation.

"I hear he can't be killed" the thief who brought up HIM mutters.

Rumors about HIM have been floating around Gotham since HIS return and His battle with the Regime.

"Enough! Let's get what we came for and go" the leader of the group orders.

What the group don't know is that they are being watched. Batman dwells in the shadows waiting for the right moment. He comes up behind one of the men farthest from the group. He covers the man's nose and mouth and wraps his other arm around the thug in a chokehold. The thug passes out in a matter of moments and Batman releases the unconscious thug and continues his hunt.

He jumps out the shadows and tackles two men that are close together. He begins to beat them into unconsciousness. Once they are the remaining two begin to panic. "OH MY GOD!"

With that the leader of the thieves' bolts through the broken window and runs to their escape vehicle.

Batman pulls out his batclaw and fires it at the remaining thug to prevent him from escaping. It latches onto the man's shirt and he pulls the line and the thug is forced towards Batman.

Batman raises his arms and bashes them into the thug and then punches him in the face. His head bangs on the floor putting him in a daze. He quickly recovers but can't move because of the fear.

The thug says shakily, "What are you?"

Batman grabs him by the front of his jacket. He says in a gravelly voice, "I'm The Batman."

Elsewhere, in a junkyard outside Gotham in an old run-down building is a group of men waiting for their leader. All of them are bald with spiked collars and the like. Also wearing uni-sunglasses. They see their leader enter.

He is big, pale, and bald. He is wearing dark green pants, and black combat boots. He is shirtless and wearing the same uni-sunglasses as the others. He also has spiky nipples and his fingernails are black and sharpened to claws.

The Mutant Leader asks, "Everything ready?"

One of them responds, "Yes, everything is ready, boss."

The leader grins revealing that is teeth are also sharpened, "Good! Time for everyone to know who rules Gotham City."

Across town, the batmobile is chasing after the runaway jewelry thief in an old Volkswagen. The perp is Vincent Fries, a distant relative of the late Victor Fries AKA Mr. Freeze. Batman has been tracking this group for the last couple of weeks.

With the Regime's fall, chaos has risen. Many criminals no longer afraid of Superman vaporizing them on the spot. The many mistakes of the Regime were that they never targeted the reasons for crime.

Poverty. Desperation. Economy.

They just put the fear of them into criminals as well as law-abiding citizens.

Batman makes a sharp right turn and activates the Tumbler batmobile's afterburner. Causing the vehicle to jump and land on the trunk of the old Volkswagen. This causes the car to lose control and goes over a curb crashing into a wall of a building.

The car begins to go up in flames. Vincent crawls his way out of the car and grabs the jewelry he stole from the store he and his crew hit. He runs into the building he crashed into. The building is Gothcorp.

Batman exits his tank and runs after him.

After several minutes he sees Vincent run into a room, oblivious to the warning sign.

Warning Cryogenics Room

Vincent runs through the room and in a panic, he trips over his own feet. He gets up quickly panting. His mask getting soaked because of the perspiration forming on his face. He pulls the mask off to reveal his Caucasian skin and his short black hair.

He sprints making his way to a walkway and runs on it but stops as a black batarang embeds itself into the railing of the walkway right in front of Vincent. He tries to back the way he came but another batarang embeds itself the railing in front of him as well stopping him short.

He sees Batman glide onto the walkway and starts to walk up to Vincent.

Out of fear, Vincent backs up onto the railing and loses his balance and falls over the railing.

Lens covered eyes widen and Batman runs attempting to catch him from falling.

But it's too late as Vincent falls into an open cryogenic tube just as a power surge goes off. The tube activates and glass casing closes locking the thief inside and begins the freezing process as he is simultaneously electrocuted.

He screams, "Noooooo!"

The thief's scream soon become muted as he is frozen.

Batman looks on as it's too late to help him. He picks up the discarded jewels and walks away. He will report this to the Commissioner he will see to it that maybe Vincent Fries will get some help.

* * *

 **GCPD Headquarters**

Frank Reagan sits in his office, he is a middle-aged man, with short black hair and a mustache, dressed in his dark suit, with a red tie, looking over some paperwork as his phone rings. He stops what he's doing and looks to see who's calling him.

It is his daughter, Erin. An ADA for Gotham City.

He answers, "Hello?"

"Hi, Dad" Erin greets.

Frank looks at his watch and sees its after nine o'clock at night, "Working late?"

Erin sighs, "Yeah, no rest for a prosecutor."

"You should head home, who's watching Nicky?" Frank asks but already knowing who.

"Grandpa" Erin says simply. "I'm heading home anyway. I'll pick her up and head home. I'm just checking in on you, Dad" the young woman says expressing her concern for her father. He has been working a lot and longer than he did before since he became commissioner. But, that just goes to show you how much work people must do since Superman and his regime are now gone. Everyone in a high-ranking position have been working in overdrive since the regime's presence in Gotham has vanished and Gotham is free now.

"Don't worry about me, Erin" Frank says with a smile.

"I always worry" Erin says happily. "Goodnight Dad.''

"Goodnight" Frank bids goodbye to his daughter for the night as he hangs up.

He leans back in his office's black leather chair and sighs. He can actually feel the wrinkles on his face without touching his face with his hands. This job might just kill him. It's exhausting. His _partner_ has been helping him out here and there and it has been welcomed. His partner has been honoring his word not harming criminals too far. But, the equipment Batman gave him the GCPD to help overthrow the Regime is depleted. Maybe Reagan should ask Batman for more equipment. Doesn't appear the city council can spare anymore funds. Most of the funds are being used to help repair the city.

He sighs again. Back to work.

* * *

 **Gotham City Courthouse**

Gotham City Courthouse also known as Solomon Wayne Courthouse, ancestor of Logan Wayne, the current heir to the Wayne fortune, located in South Gotham. It has Roman pillars in the front as well as the top floor with a door to see over the balcony. And on top of the Courthouse resides the upper half of Lady Justice holding the scales of Justice, wearing a blindfold.

Exiting the courthouse is Erin Reagan, dressed in a black dress suit with black pants, heels, and a blue blouse. The brown-haired woman has her black purse around her shoulder and a black leather briefcase in her left hand. More than eager to go home and sleep.

Unaware to the prosecutor, five mutant gang members hang around the corner observing her. Staring at her through their red uni-sunglasses. Even though it's nighttime.

Erin turns the corner leading to behind the courthouse to get to the parking lot where her car is waiting.

One of the mutant's cell phone vibrates. The mutant looks at the text he just received from the leader of the gang. A simple message is written.

 _Do it._

The mutants smirk toothy grins and looks around to his fellow mutants. He gestures his head to them. The plan is a go.

They walk over to the courthouse and follow the brown-haired woman down the alley.

The hairs on the back of Erin's neck stands up. She hears several footsteps behind her. She subtlety hastens her walking.

Immediately, a white van pulls up in front of her it's tires screeching. The side doors open revealing mutants inside.

Fear quickly takes her. She turns to see her stalkers are mutants too. She is trapped.

"Don't scream" one mutant says with a sickly smile.

"But fight" another says. "I want you to fight."

She tries to scream but a pale hand wraps around her mouth muffling it. The other mutants begin to grab her limbs as she puts up a fight. She drops her purse and briefcase on the cold concrete ground as she is shoved inside the white van.

The mutants jump in and shut the white paneled doors and the van shoots off.

The mutant in charge of this operation responds to the previous text the mutant leader sent him.

 _Got her._

Everything is going according to plan. Time for the next phase.

* * *

 **GCPD Headquarters**

Frank Reagan sits in his office pausing in reviewing the paperwork he needs to look over. His aide, Abigail Baker, a young blonde woman and first grade detective, had just left him another stack of papers to look over. He sighs, this job is going to kill him. Two months after taking this job as commissioner and he feels like he's dead in the ditches.

He just got off talking to his daughter ten minutes ago and he is still no closer to going home tonight then he was ten minutes ago.

His phone rings, stopping Reagan from enjoying his short break. Caller ID says it's an unknown number, curious the mustached man answers, "Hello?"

"Commissioner Reagan" a raspy twisted voice is heard over the receiver. Reagan doesn't recognize it. "This is the Mutant Leader."

Eyes widen in Reagan's skull. The mutant leader calling him, he must be very confident that the call won't be traced. Reagan reaches for a button on his office phone that is designed to trace his incoming call. But before he could the mutant leader interrupts him, "Don't bother tracing the call. You'll find my location somewhere in China." Reagan chooses not to.

"I've got something to talk to you about, Commish" the mutant leader informs the man.

Suddenly, he hears his daughter, Erin's voice. "Dad. Help!"

Before Frank could respond to his daughter plea the mutant leader takes over the call, "I believe I have your attention" he says smugly.

Frank nods dumbly, unable to belief these animals would go after his family, "Yes" he says through gritted teeth. These mutants had issued a statement to the press last week saying that they are the rulers of Gotham.

Their brutality getting out of hand in the last few weeks.

"Good" the leader states. Reagan can practically hear the smirk in his voice. "I have demands."

Reagan nods again, eyes closed. Anguish written on his face. He can't believe this is happening. His daughter is being used as a bargaining chip by psychopaths. "What are they?" Bite heard clearly.

"Careful, Commissioner" the mutant leader says teasingly. "You don't want the next time you see your daughter's face is when her head is mailed to your house."

Reagan pales, "What do you want?" Reagan repeats and adjusts his tone.

"Better" the leader applauds. "I want you to release the twelve mutant brothers your cops arrested a few weeks back" the leader demands.

Reagan remembers the case. Those twelve mutants were arrested on the charges of armed robbery, and eight counts of murder. "I can't do that." Not even for his own daughter.

"You don't seem to get it do you! This isn't a request. It's a demand. You don't release my men and I start sending your daughter home in small parcels" he threatens.

"There is no way the DA will authorize your men's release" Frank maintains.

"Well, I guess I start chopping" the mutant leader says nonchalantly.

"Please don't!" Reagan begs. "I'll see what I can do" he relents.

"Good. Oh, and don't be telling anyone about this. No cops. No bats. I see or hear a peep of either of them on my groups case" he begins. "Well I guess I should start getting some boxes together" he laughs.

Reagan takes a deep breath and exhales, "Okay, paperwork can be lost."

"Good, Commish" The leader praises as if Reagan was an obedient dog. "You work for me now, Franky. You work for the King of Gotham now."

"I understand" Reagan says through grit teeth. The mutant hangs up as does Reagan. Fear wells up inside. Anger pushes past through the fear. How dare that animal do this. He will not be bullied into serving some animal who thinks he's king.

He takes a deep breath attempting to calm down. He needs to think clearly. He can't release those criminals back on the streets. It's the first hit they have made into taking down the Mutants. But this is his daughter.

He knows what he must do. He pulls out his keys from his pocket and searches for a particular key on his keychain.

He finds it and puts it into the bottom draw lock on the right side of his desk. He hears a click signaling it opening. He pulls out the draw and searches for what he is looking for. He moves some things around and finds a black cell phone on the bottom of the draw.

He grabs it and sees there is a small blank black screen with a green accept button and red reject button. It was another way for him to contact his partner in the event the batsignal was no longer an option.

He turns it on and dials the only number saved to the phone. It rings. Once. Twice. On the third ring a deep raspy voice answers, "Speak" the voice commands.

"I need your help" Reagan pleads. "The mutants have my daughter. They are threatening to harm her if I don't release the mutants we have in custody. I can't allow the only hit we made in the mutant gang to get off scot free. Can you help me?" Reagan pleads with his partner.

"Where was she last seen?" the voice asks.

Reagan gives a sigh of relief, he knows he will take the case. He wouldn't be asking if he wasn't interested.

"I talked to her a little after nine. She said she was leaving the courthouse." He takes a breath, "Please find her" he asks.

Silence. Then, "I'll look into it" the voice says. "Reagan" the voice says slightly softer, "your daughter will not die tonight" the voice promises.

Frank nods, "Thank you." He knows she will be in good hands.

* * *

 **Gotham-Across town**

Batman stands perched on a gargoyle overlooking the city he has claimed as his home and its protector. Draped in his black cape, his armored batsuit, with his black utility belt, black knee high armored boots, black gauntlets mounted with three blades on each arm, a black bat emblem outlined in red mounted on the middle of his chest. His armored cowl with a pair of long pointy ears on his head, white lens covering his eyes. The armor covering his jaw as well as black kevlar covering his mouth leaving an opening for his mouth and lips to move allowing the Kevlar to move along with his lips.

He puts a hand to his right ear, "You there?"

"I'm here" an electronic disguised voice is heard in his cowl comms. Oracle, Barbara Gordon, after being shot by the Joker ending her career as Batgirl, she had taken up the name of Oracle. Batman's tech support and friend. With the original batfamily gone after years of fighting the Regime, she is now back aiding the new Batman in his war against crime as well as getting the world back to normal after over twenty years of being under the Regime's thumb.

"Frank Reagan's daughter, Erin Reagan has been abducted by the mutants. Last known location was leaving the Solomon Wayne Courthouse. I want CCTV footage from a ten-block radius of the courthouse from the last hour" he informs as well as orders.

"On it" Oracle replies already getting to work.

Batman jumps off the gargoyle and activates his cape's glider function gliding down to the street. He lands in front of an alley where his Tumbler batmobile rests. The top opens and he jumps inside, the top closes and he speeds off. He is about thirty minutes from the courthouse. With the Tumbler he should be there in twenty depending on traffic. The batmobile is a tank. There is only so many cars the black tank can jump over.

"Batman" Oracle 's voice comes over the comms.

"What?" The dark-clad man asks his comrade as he continues to drive to the courthouse.

"I found some mutants loitering around the courthouse within the timeline you gave me. I also found a white panel van pull in right in front of an alley leading to the courthouse parking lot. It had no license plate" she says their lead appearing to lead nowhere. "But," she continues, "the van matches the description of a stolen van reported last week. They must have removed the plates" relief in her voice signaling that they might have a chance to get the hostage tonight.

"What brand are the tires?" Batman asks more concerned with the tires if he knows what brand they are it will speed up the search.

"Uh, Goodyear. 2020. Why?" Oracle asks confused. She never knows what he's thinking.

"The Tumbler has been equipped with a forensic scanner. With it I can follow the tire tracks" the new Batman replies.

"Clever" Oracle praises. "One more thing" she says catching Batman's attention once more. "These mutants don't appear to be afraid that they got caught on camera. They might be using Miss Reagan as a way to boost their rep. Which means they might not even let her live even if they get what they want" she states concerned.

Batman's hands clench around the controls of the Tumbler, "These mutants are cocky and arrogant."

"Not unlike anyone I know" she says humorously.

Batman eyes narrow at that but he ignores her comment. "I've been studying them. I know how they think. The hostage will be safe and at home tonight" he promises.

"Be careful out there" Oracle wishes.

"Batman out" the vigilante signs off. And approaches the courthouse.

"Somethings never change" Oracle huffs behind her work station in the Clocktower.

* * *

 **Solomon Wayne Courthouse**

Batman pulls up in the Tumbler in front of the courthouse. He presses some buttons of the console within the tank and pulls up the footage outside the courthouse. He watches as Erin Reagan heads into the alley followed by a group of mutants. A few minutes pass as a white panel van speeds off out of the alley and making a left turn.

Batman activates the forensic scanner inside the Tumbler scanning the skid marks left by the speeding van. A path made by the tires appears on the monitor of the Tumbler batmobile.

Batman proceeds to follow said tracks to lead him to the hostage. After about ten minutes the trail leads him to an abandoned warehouse in Old Gotham.

Batman exits the Tumbler and fires his grapple gun the claw connecting to the roof once secured the grapple gun sends him flying to the roof of the warehouse.

He activates his thermal imaging in his cowl causing the white lens eyes to glow white and identify the hostiles.

Fifteen armed hostiles located on the third floor. Hostage undetermined. He needs a better look. The new Batman jumps off the roof and while in midair he fires his grapple gun embedding into the broken windowsill on the second floor. The grapple does its job pulling Batman through the window shattering it with a crash and broken glass flying all over the floor. The dark-clad man returns his grapple gun to his black utility belt on his waist and activates his thermal imaging this time finding the hostage in a back room with two armed guards.

He looks and sees that the armed mutants' heartbeats are pounding in their chests. They move around a little anxiously.

They are nervous.

Good.

When criminals are nervous they get scared. When they're scared they make mistakes. When they make mistakes, Batman can take advantage of the opportunity they present and bring them down. Hard.

On the third floor, the mutant guards inside the back room hear a crash. The two-armed mutants look at each other. One gestures with his head to the locked door to the right of them. The only way in the room.

One mutant dressed in a black open vest with tears around the shoulders suggesting the man ripped the sleeves from the cloth, wearing a green shirt underneath, dark pants and boots, with no hair and wearing uni-sunglasses. The identifier for the mutant gang.

The other mutant also has the same uni-sunglasses, but with a long sleeve yellow shirt with the collar opened and dark pants and boots. He is also bald.

In the corner of the room there is Erin Reagan, sitting in an old rickety chair with her wrists duct taped to the arms of the chair as well as her ankles to the legs. Her hair and clothes are disheveled, tears in her eyes and a piece of duct tape on her mouth keeping her quiet.

The vest clad mutant walks carefully up to the double doors of the back room and places his ear against it listening to what is happening in the main room of the third floor.

He listens for a few moments then looks back to his fellow mutant and shrugs his shoulders. "Must be nothing" the mutant says out loud.

Outside the back room the other fifteen-armed mutants walk around the room cautiously. They heard a noise they need to find out what it was. Their boots thud against the wooden floorboards echoing across the room. All around the room are old wooden crates. Some with items purchased by the company that used to own this abandoned warehouse. Others just filled with hay. Many staked on top of one another. Others alone.

Portable lights here and there for the mutants to see. Some loose wires hanging around some of the walls and ceiling. The decaying walls falling apart as some sheetrock and wood are visible.

Five mutants all wearing the signature uni-sunglasses and baldness stand in front of the double doors leading into this floor. They all have their assault rifles pointed at it waiting.

Some of them swallow. Others fidget with their fingers on the trigger of their guns. Their hearts beat faster. The waiting is getting to them.

All of a sudden, the floor beneath their feet explodes creating a hole in the floor and a dark shadow flying upward onto the beams connected by columns on the ceiling. Batman crouches on to the scaffolding to blend in with the shadows of the room.

The five mutants fall to the wooden floor. Some stunned from the explosion and hitting the floor. Others unconscious.

Two mutants rise from the floor frantically looking around for the shadow after the explosion sent them to the ground. One of them walks over to the hole the shadow made in the floor and starts firing.

The other ten mutants in the room who were patrolling the other sections of the room come running.

Batman seeing four mutants approaching, pulls out from his belt four discs. He throws them, and they connect to the side of each assault rifle the approaching mutants have. They pause looking at their weapons wondering what hit them because of hearing a clicking sound from their weapons.

They see a disc flashing red. Perplexed they look at each other. And after five seconds the discs explode breaking the assault rifles in half and sending them to the floor.

The first rule of fighting armed opponents. Batman's father taught him. Disarm. Then pick them off.

Batman fires his grapple attaching to the ankle of the firing mutant and he jumps down trading places with the mutant, who drops his rifle, and is now hanging upside down. He flails his limbs struggling to break free, but his movements begin to get sluggish until he passes out due to blood rushing to his head.

Batman grabs the other mutant who stood after Batman's entrance. He quickly breaks the mutants arm with a sickening crack, who cries out in pain. Batman then uses the mutant's rifle against them as he turns the mutant and his weapon to the approaching mutants and fires aiming low putting up a barrage. They quickly duck behind some wooden crates but gets two mutants in the shins. They fall to the ground in pain dropping their weapons.

Once the weapon is out of ammo, Batman looks at the mutant he is holding, the mutant whimpers clutching his broken arm. All the gang member sees are glaring white whites.

Batman delivers a quick headbutt to the mutant having no reason to hold him anymore. The young gang member falls to the wooden floor with a thud and an unconscious groan.

The dark-clad man sees more mutants approaching. He quickly pulls out his batclaw and fires it at an armed mutant taking aim at him. The claw latches on to the mutant's clothes and Batman pulls with all his strength. The mutant gives a cry of surprise as he is flung into the air being straight toward the vigilante. His limps flailing in the air as Batman swings his left arm hitting the approaching mutant who gives a groan as the breath is knocked out of him as he is hit in the chest and goes sliding onto the smooth wooden floor until he reaches the hole in the floor Batman made during his entrance. He falls in and lands on his left arm breaking it and passing out from the pain.

Batman turns his head and sees an armed mutant standing up again having regained consciousness. The vigilante pulls out a black batarang from his belt and hurls it at the mutant disarming him as well as hitting him in the head. He is unconsciousness once again.

Another armed mutant approaches and takes aim next to the dangling mutant hanging by his ankle. The mutant fires at the dark-clad man, who sprints to the firing mutant. He uses his cape as a shield, which is composed with light fabric allowing for him to glide as well as having Kevlar on the outside of the cape for defense.

Batman stops and delivers a swift kick to dangling mutant, who is knocked from his dangling position and lands into the firing mutant who falls to the ground.

The mutants realizing that assault rifles won't stop The Batman they switch to knifes and handguns.

Batman goes after three mutants armed with knives, he tosses one to the side. He pushes another one to the floor with his left arm. Using the blades on his right dark armed gauntlet he knocks the handgun out of the mutant's hand and hits him in the face with his left elbow.

The mutant Batman pushed to the ground comes at him with a knife. Batman ducks low as the gang member attempts a slashing motion to cut his throat. He changes to a stabbing motion, but his arm is quickly captured and lays on Batman's right shoulder.

The vigilante wraps his right arm around the mutant's clavicle and hoists him up with one arm and then slams the mutant into the floorboards smashing them and causing some to shoot upward.

Two mutants fire their handguns at Batman until they run out of ammo. They drop them and switch to knives and holds the knife in a pending stabbing position.

Batman quickly sprints to a knife wielding mutant standing in front of a wooden crate. He leaps over the crate feet first and captures the mutant by his face and slams the gang member's head into the crate as Batman lands on the ground in a crouching position.

He fires his batclaw embedding into the crate behind him and pulls with all his might that he has in his right arm and the crate goes over his body and explodes on contact with a mutant.

Suddenly, Batman drops his batclaw with a clank and gives a cry of pain. He turns his head and sees a mutant shooting at him with a handgun. He turns his right arm and sees a bullet embedded into his armored gauntlet.

He growls. He charges the last remaining mutants all armed with knives. Leaving his gadget abandoned.

The mutant who disarmed the vigilante drops his emptied handgun and walks up to the charging man. His confidence skyrocketing because he managed to disarm the Bat. He believes he can beat him.

He's wrong.

As the mutant confidently walks up to the dark-clad man he is stopped short as Batman delivers a palm heel strike to the gang member's gut. Causing the wind to be knocked out of him. He doubles over clutching his stomach groaning.

That's one out of the way for the moment. Batman now has three knife wielding gang members left.

One of the three takes advantage of the vigilante momentarily distracted with the doubled over fellow mutant. As he swings his knife at the Bat.

But, a swift elbow to the chest stops him from reaching the dark-clad man.

Batman's attention is brought back to the doubled over mutant who has recovered. Batman karate chops him in the face. Just as he does that a remaining mutant slashes the back of the armored man's neck. But the armor holds up.

Batman ignores him for a second while a mutant in front of him attempts to attack him. A punch in the face ends his attempt.

The vigilante finds himself surrounded by the four mutants. All working together to bring the armored man down.

One mutant raises his knife above his head and brings it down in a stabbing motion. Hoping the momentum will pierce Batman's armor.

A black gloved hand captures the mutant's wrist and squeezes it. The mutant cries out and his grip of the knife is lost. He drops it clanking to the wooden floor.

Batman delivers a palm thrust to his chest sending him to the ground and out of his face for the time being.

Two mutants work in tandem slashing away at there dark enemy.

Batman uses the blades on his dark gauntlets to block them sparks flying as blade against blade clash.

The third stabs at him but the vigilante is too fast and catches his arm with his right hand. He delivers an uppercut causing the mutant to fall on his back.

Another of the mutants Batman is engaging attacks him with his knife but captures the gang member's arm.

The vigilante notices another of the four mutants coming at him in his peripheral. He delivers a quick kick to the mutant's leg. But that doesn't stop the mutant. He comes back for more.

Deciding on a different tactic. Batman wraps his left arm around the mutant, he captures, throat and moves behind him clutching the mutants right arm that is holding the knife.

The approaching mutant brings his knife down as Batman uses the captured mutant to block it with his knife. Sparks flying once again.

Batman kicks the mutant away and with all his strength pushes the mutant's outstretched arm into his thigh causing the knife to embed itself there. The mutant cries out. Batman quickly releases him and attacks another gang member.

The knocked down mutant tries to gather his senses and his eyes widen as he sees something on the ground. His senses return he sees a discarded handgun. He smirks.

Uppercutting him, Batman turns back to the stabbed mutant clutching his leg. Groaning with a cry mixed in. He looks up and sees the dark-clad man staring at him. Tears begin to well up in his eyes his standard issue uni-sunglasses having fallen off during the fight.

Batman decides to put the mutant out of his misery. He delivers a hard punch to the mutant's face sending him head first into the wooden floor. As his head makes contact with the wooden floorboards causing them to collapse downward.

Some mutant attempts to surprise the armored man and rushes him. But, Batman sidesteps the charging man and pushes him to the floor and proceeds to wale on him. Batman grimaces and grits his teeth as he delivers blow after blow to the mutant's head.

The once knocked away mutant grabs the handgun and stands up. He aims.

Batman delivers another punch to the now unconscious mutant. He raises his arm again to deliver another punch but pauses as he hears a whizzing sound and pain as his cowl clad head jolts to the left.

He touches the right temple of his head with his right hand pressing against it. He removes his hand and gazes at it. There is no blood. The bullet just grazed his cowl. He turns to where the shot came from and sees a conscious mutant. The gun in his hand shaking.

Batman rises slowly and menacingly leaving the mutant he was pummeling to his nightmares.

He's pissed.

He's on the gun toting man in a flash. He struggles to get the gun away from the gang member. He keeps pointing the gun away from his head. Unsure if his cowl can withstand a point-blank shot to the face.

The gun goes off. Batman grunts, ringing going on in his left ear. His cowl is reinforced to protect his senses such as sight and hearing. But it is to a point.

He's beyond pissed now.

He grits his teeth. He grabs the mutant's arm with both hands and throws him over his shoulder crashing into the ground. The mutant grunts the wind knocked out of him.

Batman then twists his arm causing the mutant to cry out. He keeps up the pressure until a sickening snap is heard. The mutant's cries become louder as his arm is broken. The mutant loses consciousness from the pain.

Suddenly, Batman is caught off guard as some remaining mutant kicks him in the chest causing him to stumble. He doesn't fall until he is pulled back by another mutant who pulled on his cape.

The vigilante falls to the ground, his limbs flailing. He sees the mutant who pulled him to the ground ready his knife and brings it down. It is immediately parried by the blades on Batman's left gauntlet. Sparks fly.

The one who kicked Batman comes at him but like with the other mutant his knife is parried by Batman's right gauntlet causing sparks.

The mutant on his left comes at him again but Batman parried again as he uses his legs to push himself backwards attempting to stand up. They have him at a disadvantage.

The mutant on his right comes at him again and Batman responds with another parry.

The mutant on his left attacks again and Batman blocks. Still not letting up.

Batman decides to make his move. As he blocks the mutant blade on his left, he rolls onto his left side and slams his right forearm into the mutant's chest pushing him away.

Batman turns over to see what the mutant on his right is up to.

A kick to his chest is his answer as he falls flat on his back against the floor.

Immediately, the mutant on his left stabs Batman in his left shoulder causing him to cry out.

Pain shoots itself into his pain receptors.

But, he has been taught to work through pain.

Batman's cry immediately stops as he bares his teeth. He sends the sole of his right dark boot into the shin of the mutant on his right.

The force of the blow causes the mutant to fall onto the floor.

Before the mutant on his left can respond, a dark knee is delivered to the side of his head sending him to the floor.

The knee blow manages to get Batman back up to a crouching position.

The vigilante turns his head back to the mutant on the right coming at him with a knife again.

Batman blocks with his blades on his left gauntlet. Followed by his right arm swiping his opponents right leg out form under him. The mutant falls face down.

Batman turns back swiftly to the other fallen mutant, who is trying to stand up. The dark-clad man reaches to the knife embedded in his shoulder and pulls it. A wet sound is heard as the knife is pulled out. Blood drops falling to the floor.

He stomps over to the kneeling mutant and grabs him by the collar of his shirt and lifts him up.

Batman slams the mutant into the sheetrock wall and stabs the knife, the mutant used on the vigilante, into the mutant's left shoulder. He gives a cry as the knife staples him to the wall.

Batman hears something behind him but is unable to react as the remaining mutant punches him in the back. Batman doesn't show a reaction. He turns to the mutant who appears nervous and takes a step back.

Batman delivers a knee to the mutant's gut and throws him to the ground. He picks him up to the dark-clad man's knee by the back of his shirt and throws him into the sheetrock wall creating a hole in his causing dust and sheetrock to escape from the destroyed wall.

Batman now takes a deep breath. He stands back to his full height and slowly turns his head to the impaled mutant.

The mutant whimpers and holds out his hand in a vain attempt to fight off Batman.

Batman walks over to the mutant menacingly.

"Please!" The mutant begs.

Batman knocks the mutant out with a blow to the head.

He then takes a deep breath and exhales. He must calm down. He's angry. Anger makes you sloppy. He can't afford to be sloppy now. The hostage is still in danger.

He turns his head to look around and sees all the mutants down.

He clutches his left shoulder and releases it. He puts his hand in front of his face to see the palm covered in blood.

 _Amateur_. He scolds himself. _Lucky amateur._

He clenches his blood-stained hand. He has a hostage to save.

* * *

In the back room of the abandoned warehouse, two mutants stand guard over the kidnapped lawyer.

Erin Reagan sits duct taped to her chair.

They all heard the commotion outside the room. The guards pace around the room nervously.

They pace around more until one guard stands behind the hostage and the other stands in front of a worn-down wall.

He aims his assault rifle at the door waiting for them to be forced open and the mutants can fill the intruder full of lead.

Their hearts pound in their chests. They swallow. The waiting is killing them.

Suddenly, a black gloved hand emerges through the wall. Then another. The mutant with his back to the wall stares at the gloved hands. They grab onto the mutant and pulls him through the wall causing the wall the collapse. Dust going everywhere.

Erin and the mutant behind her shut their eyes to protect them from the dust. When the dust dissipates they open their eyes to see Batman standing just outside the broken wall. His left arm wrapped around the other mutant's throat, who has passed out, his arms hanging limply.

Batman's cape covering his right side. He stares at the gang member with those white eyes. Daring him to try something.

The mutant overcomes his shock and aims his weapon at Erin. "I'll kill her!" The mutant spits out. "Believe me man I'll do it" he states.

Batman clutches the black batarang in his right hand concealed by his cape. He releases his hold on the mutant and the unconscious man slumps to the floor.

"I believe you" Batman rasps out. His cape whirls as he throws the batarang in his hand at the gunman upward.

The batarang collides with the barrel of the assault rifle sending it upward and firing into the ceiling dust falling downward.

Erin gives a cry muffled by the duct tape on her mouth.

The mutant attempts to get control of his weapon but doesn't get the chance as Batman tackles the mutant into the wall. The gunman's head hits the wall rendering him unconscious.

Batman backs off now that the threat is over.

He turns to Erin, who tears up and whimpers. She's scared of him.

That is to be expected. His suit has scratches from knives. Bullet holes here and there. Some even embedded in his armor. And he's covered in blood, as he glances to his bleeding shoulder. Not to mention the suit is designed to scare people combining with his height. He looks like a huge monster.

He walks over to her, her whimpering increasing.

He's not good with comforting another but he plays it as he has observed from others, "Easy" he tells her. He uses the blades on his gauntlets to cut the duct tape from her ankles. Then to her wrists. "Your father sent me" he informs her. That seems to do the trick as she calms down and removes the duct tape from her mouth herself.

"Thank you" she says timidly. He nods. He goes over to the mutant slumped against the wall and searches him.

The mutant leader ordered them to abduct the commissioner's daughter, they must have a way to contact him. He finds a cell phone on him and proceeds to look through it but is stopped when a passcode is required.

Batman will not be deterred.

"What are you doing?" Erin asks rubbing her wrists.

"Pursuing a possible lead" the dark-clad man says simply. He pulls out a square USB like device and pushes it into the phone.

It immediately hacks into the phone breaking through the passcode lock. He searches through the phone logs and sees a call was made around the time Erin Reagan's abduction.

He opens his commlink and presses a hand to his cowl clad ear. "It's me" he answers speaking as little as possible with Erin in front of him. "Trace the call history of the phone I just hacked into" he orders in his raspy voice. "It should be uploaded to our systems."

He cuts his comms and turns to the brunette, "Come with me" he commands as he leaves the room. She dumbly nods and follows him.

She gasps as she sees what Batman did to these men. Some bleeding. Some have broken bones.

How can her father work with this man?

"Keep up" Batman says irritably. He stands just outside the doorway of the third floor. She whips her head to look at him and hurries to him.

They make it out of the warehouse and Erin wonders what happens now. Batman pushes a button on his left gauntlet, his right one was damaged in the fight.

A rumbling of an engine is heard as the Tumbler bolts through the chain link fence and speeds to the pair's position.

Erin gasps as the black tank doesn't appear to be stopping. She turns to Batman who doesn't look the least bit concerned.

The Tumbler stops right in front of the two. It's head lights on top shining. Erin puts her hand in front of her face offering some shielding from the light.

The roof of the tank opens revealing a cockpit. Batman starts walking to the Tumbler, "Get in" he orders.

She glares at his tone but doesn't say anything. He helps her into the vehicle before he climbs in himself. He straps himself in and tells her to do the same.

Erin is forced back into her seat as the Tumbler speeds off.

Batman reaches over to the console and presses some buttons.

Ringing can be heard, and Oracle's electronic voice can be heard, "What's up?"

"We have ears" Batman states informing his comrade that there is an outsider in his presence and real names are forbidden. "What do you have?" The vigilante asks.

"I got a location on the number you wanted traced. It might be the mutant leader" Oracle says cheerfully.

"Where?"

"At the old junkyard. The one with the sewer drain in it" Oracle informs the new Batman. The old junkyard is an old scrapyard half a mile outside the city. No one goes there anymore. No profits. As well as its too hazardous to be around.

"Good" he growls. He ends his call with Oracle and dials another number.

"Yes?" Commissioner Frank Reagan's voice is heard next.

"It's me" the vigilante states. "I have her" he hears Reagan breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm dropping her off at the nearest precinct. Send a few squad cars to the abandoned warehouse district in Old Gotham. You'll find a group of mutants who were holding your daughter hostage" he informs. "Might want to get them to a hospital" he advises. "They wouldn't go quietly."

"Understood" Reagan says quickly. He doesn't seem all that concerned with Batman's violence. Must be more concerned with his daughter's safety than a few armed goons.

Batman makes a sharp turn then continues speaking, "Also have every unit head over to the old junkyard with the sewer drain" he orders. "No sirens. Have your men surround the area until I scope out the situation. Do not engage."

"Not sure many will comply with that" Reagan mutters.

"You're the Commissioner" Batman says irritably. "They follow your orders. I know how these mutants think, Reagan."

"Alright" Reagan sighs, "I'll tell them."

Batman nudges his head getting Erin's attention, "Talk to him" he says lightly.

"Dad?" Erin begins.

"Erin are you okay? You hurt?" Frank says concerned.

"I'm fine, Dad. They didn't hurt me."

"Thirty seconds until the nearest precinct" Batman interrupts.

The Tumbler stops in front of the GCPD precinct in the area. The roof opens, and Batman jumps out and offers Erin his hand.

She hesitates, but then takes it. He helps her out of the tank and walks her to the steps of the building.

"Let them know about the warehouse mutants in the area" Batman orders. "They won't get away with what they've done."

Erin nods, and enters the precinct.

Batman quickly runs back to the black tank and jumps in. The roof closes and he hits the accelerator.

The tank speeds off.

* * *

 **Next: Batman vs the Mutant Leader!**

 **The warehouse battle was taken from BvS. Affleck was awesome in that scene!**

 **The batarangs are all black right now, not the black and red ones used in Batman Beyond, Logan is building himself up to that.**

 **Vincent Fries is an OC. He will be taking the mantle of a future villain. Can you guys figure out which one and where this particular origin story comes from? Hint: its from a Batman cartoon.**

 **The courthouse was taken from Batman Arkham City. Apologies if I didn't describe it enough.**

 **If there are still people confused with my OC Batman cowl. Just search Batman Arkham Knight: Batman Beyond skin to see what I'm trying to describe for the cowl. Just no red parts on the cowl. Again my apologies if I didn't describe it properly.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologize for not updating. But, here's the fight you've been waiting for!**

 **I own nothing.**

 **My story universe comprised of DC comics, Archer, and Blue Bloods.**

* * *

The Dark Knight of Tomorrow

Chapter 2

 **Gotham City**

Just outside the gothic city. Home to crime, corruption, and creator of some of the most twisted and sadistic criminals known to man.

The Tumbler batmobile races down the roads to the designated location. An old junkyard long since abandoned by the city and its inhabitants.

It is the current headquarters for the brutal street gang called the Mutants.

Their crimes range from homicide to armed robbery and assault.

Their current crime is kidnapping of Erin Reagan, ADA of Gotham City and daughter of current police commissioner Frank Reagan. The Mutant leader abducted the woman to extort the release of several of his mutant brothers, after they were arrested by GCPD.

Reagan disheartened by the position the gang leader put him in as well as his concern for his daughter's safety, called a _friend_ for help.

He answered. The hostage was rescued, and he is currently pursuing a lead on a majority of the gang gathering at a junkyard. The Mutant leader most likely being in attendance.

" _Batman, do you read_?" Oracle's electronic voice sounds off over the comms inside the black tank.

Batman ignores his tech support.

" _What do you read anyway_?" she asks. " _After all the years I've known you I have never bothered_ _to ask_. _Romance novels? Mystery stories? Comic books? Manga?_ " she rambles. A long pause, _"Twilight?"_

That gets a response, "What?" Batman growls.

" _I wanted to inform you that GCPD has been mobilized_ " a smirk clearly heard in her voice.

"Good." Batman hangs up on her and dials the cave, "W" the dark-clad man hails.

"Sir?" an Englishmen's voice answers. Arthur Henry Woodhouse, Logan Wayne's butler. The new butler for the Wayne family. He was an old friend to Alfred Pennyworth, butler for the Wayne family for two generations. Alfred asked Woodhouse to be the new butler for the family after Alfred passed away from a broken heart. After all the deaths in the Wayne family, Thomas and Martha Wayne. Gunned down so many years ago by some two-bit thug.

Years after Bruce Wayne began his one-man war on crime. It soon evolved into an army fighting a never-ending horde of crime. Jason Todd, fell in the line of duty at the hands of The Joker, trying to find his mother. It ended in a beating and an explosion.

Many years after that the Regime formed and the bat family resolved themselves to fight. First Dick Grayson, Nightwing fell. Then Batgirl, Cassandra Cain. Finally, Red Robin, Tim Drake also fell fighting the regime. The strain from losing so many good people caused his death leaving Bruce Wayne alone.

Woodhouse humbly accepted the final request of his friend. It took some time but, Bruce accepted him into the fold. And when Wayne fell as well, Woodhouse was entrusted with his son, Logan. The man humbly accepted the responsibility, understanding that the young boy needed someone to take care of him. However, Logan didn't give Woodhouse the chance to raise Logan. He took off weeks after Bruce Wayne's funeral, a funeral he couldn't even attend because of the media coverage. Logan was to be kept hidden from the media, so his mother wouldn't find him as well as the Wayne family secret. And didn't return until eleven years later to win his fathers' war against the regime.

"I need eyes in the sky" Batman states, "Send out the batdrones" he orders.

"Understood, sir" W complies, the butler's codename in the field. The man at his station at the batcomputer presses some keys on the console and activates the batdrones that are laying down on a steel table in the batcave.

The drones come to life and hover up in mid-air glowing red. The three drones are flat and shaped like a bat, glowing red on certain areas on the piece of machinery.

Woodhouse mans the control and they whizz out of the cave and head in the direction of the junkyard in question. They arrive in ten minutes and remain high in the air to avoid detection. They begin scanning the area.

Batman pulls up a visual of the junkyard on the batmobile's console. He sees a single person standing atop a small hill with a sewer drain pouring waste into a mudhole directing in front of the individual. The individual is surrounded in front by huddled masses. His back completely exposed.

Batman returns his eyes to the road and takes a sharp right turn going off road. What some don't realize or perhaps not remember that there is a long forgotten back road that has a view of the old junkyard from above.

It takes the vigilante another ten minutes to arrive the destination. He cuts the headlights and engine and exits the tank.

His shoulder still throbs from his battle at the warehouse. Stitches will most likely be needed when he returns home tonight. But, that must be forgotten for the moment. There is work to be done.

The young man crouches and pulls binoculars from his utility belt. He looks through them and sees that there is plenty of cover behind the small hill in the junkyard. He continues to form his strategy, he identifies the lone person on top of the small hill as most likely the leader of the mutant gang.

Time to get to work.

"Oracle are the cops in place?" Batman asks.

GCPD vehicles ranging from vans to motorcycles reside on the perimeter of the junkyard. Officers and detectives alike wait for further instructions following the commissioner's order for all available units to surround to the junkyard perimeter, sirens off.

According to a tip from an anonymous source, this particular junkyard is the headquarters for the Mutant gang.

Many are wondering why they are waiting around, others are grumbling that they are just lounging around waiting for something to happen.

One police officer in particular is Detective Danny Reagan, an early thirties white male, with stubble on his face and a short brown hair. Dressed in a ruffled suit, with a blue dress shirt and loose black tie. "Why are we just sitting here?" he grumbles aloud.

His partner sitting next to him in their squad car answers, "Because we have orders to remain on standby" a Latina woman dressed in a dark dress suit and pants, with a dark blue blouse underneath the dress jacket. Detective Maria Baez, a brown-haired woman hanging loose with her bangs covering her forehead with brown eyes.

The two of them have been partners for the last year, during the takedown of the regime two months ago, she was put on different unit then Danny, who was with his two brothers.

"From the PC" he utters under his breath, he shakes his head, "I know why we're twiddling our thumbs here" this causes Baez to turn her head to her partner from her position in the passenger seat, she gives the man a raised eyebrow curious, "it's so the bat can take care of the mutants and we get clean up duty" the man finishes with disgust.

Since the fall of the regime and the loss of his older brother, Danny has been holding a grudge against costumed individuals. Hell, people have been hating costumed people since the regime formed and was ruling the planet for over twenty years.

Danny wishes they just left the Earth be. They make crime even more horrifying.

"We wouldn't have been freed from Superman's rule without Batman" Baez counters. "I know you miss your brother" she sympathizes, "but he was a cop he knew what he was getting into when he chose to remain an officer when most of the force signed on with the regime."

Reagan doesn't want to hear anymore as well as doesn't want to admit she's right, he just misses his brother. The man just stares out the drivers' window and silence overtakes the inside of the car.

* * *

 **The Junkyard**

The Mutant leader stands atop a small hill, a sewer drain coming out of the piece of earth, spewing waste and other unmentionables into a mudhole the size of a small pond.

In front of the gang leader is his brothers and sisters. His fellow mutants. His huddled masses anxiously awaiting the words of their leader.

"My fellow mutants" the leader proclaims in an obnoxious and a slightly deep and high at the same time voice, "we have the king pigs' daughter" he says causing many gang members to cheer. "Soon, we will have our imprisoned brothers and then we will march into Gotham and overthrow its leaders" he rallies.

More cheers.

The gang leader raises his arms to the sky, "We will show them all that I am the King of Gotham City. We will kill anyone who dares get in our way" he shouts with a sickening smile on his lips, his sharpened teeth showing. "They will regret thinking we are just a bunch of kids" more mutants cheer and applaud completely entranced by their leaders' words. "We will gut the pigs. And if that Batman dares oppose us" he states getting everyone's attention after saying Batman's name, "I will eat his heart. I will mount his head on my fireplace. I will drink and bathe in his blood" he proclaims, his voice getting louder with each sentence, "I will everyone that the Mutants are not to be trifled with!"

All the mutants cheer, excited for what is to come.

Suddenly, the Mutant Leader is tackled off the hilltop by a shadow and falls directly into the mudhole, splashing mud everywhere like a wave in the ocean. Splattering all over the mutant members standing in the front row.

The surface of the mudhole quickly calms. Until bubbles start forming and then a figure caked in mud and God knows what else emerges.

The Mutant leader roars, "Who did that?" His sunglasses gone most likely dwelling at the bottom of the mud pit. His blood red eyes exposed calling for the blood of the one responsible for this humiliation.

The shirtless man turns his head to the left and then to the right, gritting his teeth.

One fearless mutant observing the scene speaks up, "I think it was the bat."

Furious, the Mutant leader turns to the source of the voice, "The bat?!"

The man's fists clench and are brought close to his chest, "Batman!" he roars to the sky, "Show yourself! I will kill you! I will show you who is the true king of Gotham City" he exclaims waving his arms up, daring his foe to challenge him.

Suddenly, another mud caked figure emerges from the mudhole. Batman stands before the Mutant Leader. The man unlatches his cape from his armored neck because it will be a hinderance since it appears the two men will do battle in this pit.

Appearances can be deceiving because this mudhole is deep.

The two men are up to their upper thighs in it.

Someone gasps aloud, causing many to look at reason for the noise. They see Batman standing before them. The Mutant Leader turns to Batman and gives him a sickening smirk exposing his sharp teeth.

"Well then, prepare to be overthrown" Batman's voice rasps out.

The two charge at each other best they can, the mud up to their upper thighs slowing them down as if they are in the ocean.

The two raise their fists and throw a punch at the other, they connect in a cross counter.

They two men stumble backwards to gain some distance from the other, each step they take kicks mud all around.

There is silence as these men do battle with one another. The mutant gang simply observes. No one says a word they don't even dare to move. Because this isn't simply a battle to vanquish a foe. No, this is a battle to see if their leader is fit to lead their gang.

Batman and the Mutant Leader quickly regain their senses and begin to beat the hell out of each other. With each blow dealt to the other, mud is blasted off.

The Mutant Leader surprises the dark clad man and lands a right upper cut, causing him to stumble. The shirtless man takes advantage of the opening and slashes Batman's cowl covered left cheek with his black clawed shaped finger nails.

Batman gives a cry and moves back and touches his armored cheek. He actually felt that slash through the armor. Three claw marks can be seen on his armored cheek. He makes a note to himself, to add more armor protection to the cowl.

The shirtless man chuckles, his sharp teeth visible, "What's that old saying?" he asks out loud. Realization appears on his face as the answer quickly comes to him, "Oh yeah, beware the Batman" he chuckles, "doesn't seem like I should fear you spud."

The man laughs more.

Batman grits his teeth. Its true. As time has passed, criminals began fearing Superman more than Batman. The natural order unbalanced. It aggravates Batman to no end. Low level criminals, like the thieves, Batman apprehended were terrified of him, but the higher- tier criminals aren't. Not anymore.

In Gotham, fear is his weapon. Criminals are a superstitious and cowardly lot. They fear the unknown. Batman is the manifestation of fear. Criminals get a visit from him, it's because they did some thing that warranted a visit from him. Now that they don't they are getting bolder.

The young vigilante must regain that fear. Put Gotham back in order. And the first step to achieving that is to bring down this thug before him. He can't use the gadgets in his belt. No. He needs to prove that he can win with just himself. He can't rely to heavily on what he keeps in his belt.

Batman inches closer to the Mutant Leader, arms up and ready to attack.

The Mutant Leader doesn't hold back. He throws a right hook at the armored man, who blocks with his left, and delivers a quick right knee to the gang leaders unprotected abdomen.

The blow knocks the wind out of the man and a groan escapes his lips. He quickly backs up clutching his injured gut. "I'll kill you, slowly" he hisses.

A kick in the face by a muddy black boot is his response. Knocking him flat on his back.

Batman quickly presses him, but the mutant leader bends his knees bringing them to his chest, and then shoots his boots into Batman's armored torso.

The blow forces him back and he struggles to keep his balance. He manages to remain standing just in time to see the mutant leader having stood up.

He smirks appears on the pale man's face, "You're slow" he continues to insult.

Batman doesn't give him the satisfaction that he is indeed annoying him. "We're up to our thighs in mud, you idiot. Of course, we're slow" he tries insulting him to infuriate his opponent.

They charge at each other again, mud splashing with every step their boots make. They collide and start to grapple with each other. Both gritting their teeth, refusing to let the other get the better of them.

They quickly release, seeing that the fight will be a stalemate.

The Mutant Leader tries to grab onto the dark clad man's armored shoulders, but he sees it coming. He quickly swats the man's arms away with his gauntlet clad forearms, and delivers a raising elbow to the man's jaw, knocking his bald head backwards.

As Batman is fighting he takes in his surroundings. All the mutants are not saying a word. In fact, they are not even moving. And they don't plan on doing anything just watching the fight. No, they are witnesses.

As Batman has been observing the mutant's he has come to one conclusion about this gang. It's not the smartest that leads this group. It's the strongest.

They are watching to see if their leader is worthy of following.

The Mutant Leader keeps his balance and flails at the dark clad man wildly. He swipes right, left, right, left, with his sharp claw-like fingernails.

Batman evades, bending his body the opposite side for each arm the pale man slashes at him. However, he doesn't evade fast enough as the bald man slashes across Batman's chest, scratching the bat emblem on his chest.

The Mutant Leader presses as he grasps Batman's left shoulder with his left hand, and quickly slides behind the man and grasps his right bicep.

Now standing behind Batman, the pale man bends his head back and opens his mouth as wide as he can. Once done he sinks his teeth into the vigilante's right shoulder.

Batman gives a cry of pain, as he struggles to break the hold on him, but the bald man is determined. Batman breaks the man's hold on his left shoulder, reaches across his body and pummels the Mutant Leader's face repeatedly, specifically the man's nose.

A crunching sound is heard, and a groan escapes the pale man's throat. Not being able to withstand anymore, the Mutant Leader releases his bite on his meal's shoulder and separates.

Batman clutches his injured shoulder.

Blood oozes from the Mutant Leader's broken nose down to his chin. He clutches his nose in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Droplets cascade down into the mudhole creating small ripples. He removes his hands from his nose sensing the futility of trying to stop the bleeding. His nose is broken. And he's pissed off.

The pale man bares his sharp teeth, revealing that one is missing in the front.

Batman having recovered comes after his opponent. Delivering a swift right upper cut to the gang leader's jaw. Forcing said man's head backwards.

Batman then extends his hands forward flat as a board and delivers swift and decisive finger jabs to the front of the shirtless man's left shoulder and the side of the left shoulder.

The bald man moves back from the vigilante and taunts the man, "What was that?" he laughs.

"A nerve bundle in your deltoid. Might not have hurt you but it paralyzed your arm for a while."

The man's smirk vanishes as he tests out his arm. His red eyes widen in realization. It's true. He can use his left arm. He is at a huge disadvantage now. But he bares his teeth once more. He will not be made a mockery in front of his gang. No! He is the leader of the Mutant's. The most vicious and bloodthirsty group since the Joker himself. The Jokerz are just a bunch of kids worshipping that old fossil.

The Mutant's are going to be running this town in no time.

Not one to be taking this disrespect anymore, the Mutant Leader does a high right jump kick, his left arm just dangling lifelessly. However, Batman puts his arms together in an x shape blocking the blow.

The vigilante grits his teeth as the blow reverberates through the arm in front of the other. He pushes forward sending the man back. Landing in the mud causing it to splash everywhere and covering the mutant in more.

Blinded by fury and no longer tolerating being humiliated in front of his crew shoots to his feet. Flailing his only working arm wildly at Batman.

Batman evades each wild swing effortlessly. However, everyone gets lucky occasionally. The Mutant leader clumsily backhands the dark-clad man in the face taking the man by surprise. Bringing a twisted smile to the pale man's lips.

Batman however can only see red. Something snaps in him. Something his many masters have warned him about. His temper.

The Mutant Leader having become overconfident at landing a blow on the vigilante throws a punch, but it doesn't land.

Batman effortlessly evades it by moving to the left and wraps both his arms around the pale man's outreached arm. He seamlessly breaks the man's arm causing a shriek to escape the gang leader's lips.

Many mutant witnesses cringe at the sickening crack of their leader's arm snapping like a twig.

Batman's right black boot shoots out hitting the pale man's gut, the man wheezes from the wind being knocked out of his lungs, feeling like he just got hit with a cannon ball. The man crashes on his backside into the mud creating splashes of mud to rain everywhere.

The vigilante doesn't stop there. He wraps both his arms and legs around the bald man's right leg and pulls on it away from his body.

All anyone else can hear is another sickening crack yet another cry of agony escapes the gang leader's mouth. He kicks his only working limb up and down.

The Mutant gang cringes at what they just witnessed. Some turn away or cover their eyes unable to look on. Others cover their mouths in horror or attempting to keep their dinner's down. Some didn't even think a leg could bend that way.

The new Batman isn't through yet. Baring his teeth, his face in a fierce sneer releasing the mangled limb. He stands over his downed opponent and proceeds to beat the pale bald man's face in.

Gritting his teeth delivering blow after blow into the man's face. Bringing his right fist down followed by his left until his black gloved hands are covered in the gang leader's blood.

That doesn't concern Batman because all he can see is red. He can't see he can't hear anything except his heart beating pounding in his chest and ears.

He'd never say it out loud or even acknowledge it if you told him. He hates that its even true. He has an Amazon temper.

He can't even hear his confidant, Woodhouse shouting in his comm link in his cowl, "Batman! Batman! BATMAN!" His pleading going unanswered as Batman continues to beat the now unconscious man down.

"LOGAN!" W shouts now having observed the situation via a batdrone.

Batman's lens covered eyes widen when Woodhouse exclaims his name. He stops what he's doing breathing heavily. He stares at his blood caked gloves and then at the unconscious man.

He slowly rises from his crouched position standing over his defeated opponent. Arms slowly fall to his sides. His head low staring at the man. The observing mutants stand in awe. This titan.

His head jolts upwards hearing helicopters and sirens.

* * *

 **On the Perimeter of the Junkyard**

"Alright, enough of this" Detective Reagan exclaims having run out of patience. He grabs his radio located in his department issued vehicle, "Move in! Move in!"

All units outside the perimeter begin to engage the gang members. Helicopters quickly arrive on scene and start shining lights attached to the vehicle.

* * *

 **Inside the junkyard**

Helicopters fly over head flashing light all over the immediate area. The gang members quickly get spooked and begin to scatter. Running off in different directions. Some in groups. Others alone.

A helicopter's light searches around the area until landing on Batman and the fallen gang leader.

" _Copter 5 to all units, I have visual on The Batman. As well as one man down"_ an officer assigned to the copter relays to all officers in the area.

Batman slowly lifts his head until he is staring at the helicopter illuminating him. He narrows his lens covered eyes, the lens protecting his eyes from the direct contact of staring into the searchlight. "Idiots" the vigilante mutters under his breath. He exits the mudhole getting out of the light.

He can already hear GCPD officers engaging the Mutant gang. Gun fire being exchanged. He pulls from his utility belt a gray gas mask and attaches it to his masked mouth. A clicking sound being heard meaning it is secured to his cowl.

He puts a hand to the left side of his mask activating his comm link, "Oracle, use voice altering software and give the order to the cops here to fall back in the commissioner's voice" he orders not the least bit happy with what's happening. The GCPD were supposed to wait for his signal.

" _Got it_ " is his response.

Static is heard on all police officers' radios until they hear Commissioner Reagan's voice, " _All units fall back to the perimeter. If you have apprehended an assailant cuff them and leave them behind_ " the official orders.

Detective Reagan and Baez turn to one another wondering what's happening as they cuff two perps.

The detective shakes his head furiously, "Fall back! Fall back!" he shouts as he and his partner wave their hands backwards and quickly run back to the perimeter. The helicopters remain flying overheard to get a visual on any mutants escape the scene.

Batman pushes some buttons on his left undamaged gauntlet activating the Tumbler's remote-control function.

The black tank parked on a large hill overlooking the junkyard comes to life. Its headlights and roof lights turn on. Batman from his position presses more buttons causing the tank's roof from the center to the back of the vehicle to rise revealing a two-barrel missile launcher.

The missile launcher rises upward aimed towards the midnight sky and fires one and then two gray missiles. They quickly begin to fall in the center of the junkyard and then explode releasing green gas.

The mutant's trapped in the junkyard breath in the gas and begin to get woozy. Anesthetic gas works every time.

The Mutant's quickly start collapsing into unconsciousness. Some straggling police officers get caught in the mist and lose consciousness. Helicopters fly by their blades dispersing some of the mist.

Batman walks away as soon as the gas escaped their cannisters. He fires his grapple gun towards the large hill where his batmobile is located.

As he is pulled to the hill he quickly grabs onto the ledge of the rocky hill and pulls himself up. He walks over to his vehicle, and the roof automatically opens reveling a two-seater cockpit. He jumps in as the roof shuts as soon as he gets in. The missile launcher quickly returns to its resting position and Batman puts the tank in reverse, then performing a U-turn and heads out leaving the scene.

The police can handle the rest. The young vigilante is in no mood to deal with their blundering. This was supposed to end so smoothly.

He growls to himself. Its been a long night already.

* * *

 **GCPD Precinct**

Erin Reagan sits in a conference room in the precinct that Batman dropped her off at an hour ago. She sits a blanket wrapped around her, styrofoam cup of coffee in her hands to keep them warm. Her brown-hair still disheveled from her kidnapping, her attempts to straighten it out a little fruitless.

She just finished giving her statement to the officer she talked to. Now she's waiting for a lift home.

Her head whips to the door as it opens revealing a mid-fifty-year-old black man with a black shirt and pants with a long blue overcoat on. His head hairless except for the black mustache on his upper lip. Wrinkles on his face showing his age as well as years in the district attorney's office.

He is the DA of Gotham City. Sam Young. Erin's boss.

"Erin, I came as soon as I heard" he exclaims wearily. He walks to her as she rises from her seat. He holds her close attempting to comfort her.

"Thanks, Sam" she says breathlessly, each breath escaping her lungs feeling like the last one she will ever have. She pats his back as if he needs to be comforted.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" the man bombards her with questions breaking the embrace.

She shakes her head, "I'm fine, I wasn't hurt" she utters trying to reassure Sam.

The man shakes his head, "This city" he mutters aloud. "Where are your kidnappers?" he asks the woman.

"On the way to the hospital" she replies. "My rescuer wasn't nice to them" she tells him.

"The police?" he questions his brow furrowed. She shakes her head. Then who? Realization hits him like a train. "Oh, _him_." Much speculation about the return of the dark knight has been filling the streets as well as both the DA's office and police headquarters. The guy has been on the prowl for any crook that dared break the law.

The mayor seems to be willing to use him for the betterment of the city, seeing as how the guy single handedly brought down Superman. The Commissioner seems less willing. More likely only calling our resident bat in under the most extreme circumstances. His daughters' kidnapping one of them.

"Have you given your statement to the police?"

"Yes, I just finished" she responds.

"You know you can't prosecute this case, right?"

The woman sighs, "Yes, I know" she answers. DA kidnap victims can't prosecute their own kidnapping case.

The older man pats her shoulder, "Come on, I'll give you a ride home."

She nods in thanks as the two leave the conference room.

* * *

 **Batcave**

The Tumbler shoots out of the tunnel leading outside the cave and enters the sanctum of Batman. The cavern having existed for many years and having been uncompromised by the regime since its rise to its fall. Thanks to magic and lead making it undetectable to many, as well as shielded from tracking devices.

The original owner of this cave never left anything to chance. He's gone now though. His successor now taking the reins and is trying to live up the legacy left behind.

Even now the fight goes own.

The tank stops at the platform just before the tunnel and comes to a stop. The roof to the black tank opens and Batman jumps out sans' cape.

He walks over to a steel table in the center of the cave near the batcomputer and several other platforms filled with bat-related items.

His black armored suit covers in specks of dried mud here and there as well as scratches from his warehouse fight.

He stops in front of the table and removes his cowl and places it on the table revealing his features beneath the mask.

His black-hair covered in sweat, his azure eyes and his lightly tanned skin. His name is Logan Wayne. Son of Bruce Wayne. The son of Batman. Son of Wonder Woman. His face is almost just like his father except for some features on his face he received from his mother. His grandmother once said he had his mothers' eyes. And that sets his blood on fire.

Logan can't stand anything even remotely connected with his mother. He hasn't been able to for years. Not since he found out what she really is. Not after what she did to him. To the world.

Now she's enjoying a lovely prison cell isolated from people especially her own.

He removes his belt and drops it on the table with a thud. He hears someone approaching and doesn't give it a second thought, he already knows who else is down here at this hour.

"Woodhouse" he utters flatly, his voice still gruffy, removing his filthy and bloodstained left gauntlet.

The older man stands behind his employer with a stainless-steel tray with surgical supplies on top. His brow furrowed disapprovingly, his receding hairline showing his balding head and white hair. Dressed in a long-sleeved white dress shirt with a black tie and dark pants. His blue-eyes filled with anger, disappointment and disapproval.

"Sir" he states disapprovingly.

"Yes?" Logan responds removing his right gauntlet damaged in the warehouse by a bullet. He is already aware of what his confidant is about to say.

"You almost killed that man!" he almost shouts. "When you started this journey of yours, we discussed the necessity of rules. Your father had rules that he would never cross. You swore to never take a life, but tonight you almost did. I know you have just started out, but you know how to incapacitate a man without having to kill him" he lectures.

"He's still alive, isn't he" he says nonchalantly, showing no interest in what he's done.

"Sir!"

His brow furrows in annoyance he knows he made a mistake in the field, but he doesn't need to be lectured about something he already knows. His temper starts to flare, but he quickly realizes that Woodhouse is his friend. He takes a deep calming breath and then exhales. His head bowing as he releases the breath and eyes closed. "I know" he starts but stops, "I know."

The dark-haired man places his palms flat on the steel table before him, "I lost my temper" he admits.

"Then you must get it under control, sir. Gotham is relying on you to keep the peace while the city tries to regain control of itself since the regime is gone" the Englishman continues. "You overthrew one monster. Pray that we didn't do so, so that another one can take his place."

"I know" the young man answers back weakly. Its easier said then down. He's been trying to keep it under control for years but with little success. He only managed to keep it under control when he was dismantling the regime. "But sometimes you need a monster."

The butler's eyes narrow spying something on Logan's left shoulder, he gingerly takes a pair of forceps from the tray still in his hands and removes the object from the armored man's shoulder.

Resulting in Logan to look at the man curiously. He sees a tooth captured by the surgical device.

Woodhouse gives the dark-haired man an inquisitive eye raise.

Logan simply shrugs the questioning look away.

"You're right Woodhouse" he admits. "I took an oath. A promise. And I set out with a rule to limit myself. To never lose my way" Logan says aloud reflecting on tonight as well as what put him on his path all those years ago. "Tonight, can't happen again. But, I need the criminals to fear me. I need the natural order restored, where Batman is feared. Not Superman. Otherwise, I'm going to be losing my psychological edge against criminals."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out, sir" the older man reassures. "How badly are you hurt?" he asks getting to the topic of him having a medical supplies in his hands.

Logan looks himself over and sees that his bloody left shoulder from the warehouse fight has started to hurt again as well as blood trickling down to his elbow. To starts to remove his armor around his shoulders and then his torso, leaving his upper body bare.

Scars can be seen here and there on his chest as well as his back all dating back to when he was on his journey training all over the world.

Woodhouse comes over examining his injured shoulder. He applies some antiseptic causing the young man to release a hiss. After examining the wound the older man informs the injured man his diagnosis, "You'll need some stitches."

The white-haired man begins to dress Logan's wound and finishes in ten minutes. The man then examines Logan's right shoulder where the Mutant leader bite him.

"Doesn't look like blood was drawn. Looks like he barely broke skin" he surmises.

"Still hurt" Logan complains.

The man simply hums in understanding and applies antiseptic just to be careful.

Logan stares at his damaged batsuit on the table next to him evaluating the damage.

"Appears to be unusable, sir" Woodhouse voices what the two are both thinking.

"We have plenty of spares" Logan reassures. Its true Logan and Luke had many of Logan's batsuit designed and built both knowing how easily damaged they could be in the streets.

"I suggest you take the rest of the night off, sir" Woodhouse pleads. "Given the apprehension of the leader of the mutants as well as a large sum of their members I doubt you will encounter much crime tonight."

Logan exhales deeply not liking the idea of turning in early, but considering he's beat up he'll have to bite the bullet. "What time is it?" he asks.

Woodhouse looks at his watch and answers, "Just after two, sir."

Logan hums, "Fine" he accepts his voice showing his displeasure of ending his patrol.

"Thank you, sir" Woodhouse accepts with a smile.

Logan treks up the staircase leading to his ancestral home, Wayne Manor.

"Just to remind you, you have that ten o'clock board meeting tomorrow" he hollers. "And before you ask, yes, you must appear. Mr. Fox was quite insistent."

"Fine" Logan grumbles as he reaches the door to the manor and opens it passing through and then slams it shut.

Leaving Woodhouse with a small smirk on his lips.

* * *

 **Next: Logan at Wayne Enterprises.**

 **Thoughts?**

 **Notes: The scene where the tumbler fires the missile launchers is the same one from The dark knight rises during the chase scene where one has a long barrel missile launcher.**

 **The batdrones are the same from Batman the telltale series s1 ep 1 where Batman attacks Falcone.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I am so sorry, for not updating in sooo long! I am trying to balance everything going on and with my active stories. I want to thank everyone for the review, favs and follows!**

* * *

The Dark Knight of Tomorrow

Chapter 3

* * *

 **Gotham City-GCPD Precinct 54**

Last night there were 342 arrests, the biggest night of arrests in twenty years, sure some will be out on bail, others will get a slap on the wrists, but it was a successful night nevertheless.

The district attorney's office can make something stick from trespassing to resisting arrest or gun possession. The gang of vicious miscreants had some serious military hardware.

But one of the most dangerous of the Mutant gang, their leader, has been hospitalized for multiple contusions, a broken nose, a broken arm and broken leg with a concussion.

Doctors are confident he'll pull through, but he'll need a lot of physical therapy when he gets out of Blackgate Prison's hospital ward. Right now he's being kept at Gotham General Hospital under heavy guard, upon orders from Police Commissioner Reagan.

Rumors are going around that the gang leader abducted ADA Erin Reagan, although they have yet to be confirmed at the moment.

Detective Reagan wasn't a happy man that morning. He's been up all night filling paperwork on the major bust against the Mutant Gang.

His partner, Detective Baez wasn't happy about how the round up was done. There was a plan. Reagan engaged too early.

Now we have wounded perps, some hospitalized, others dead. ordinarily that wouldn't bother her. The Mutants are scum, that deserve everything they ever did to their victims happen to them tenfold. But police got caught up in the smoke clouds Gotham's resident vigilante launched. Some officers were injured when they got a whiff of that knockout gas. Others were hurt or killed exchanging fire with gang members.

There was a plan.

All because Danny went in without awaiting the signal. Because he's angry about everything that's happened in the world.

Because of capes.

Good cops are hard to find, especially in Gotham City. There are so few law enforcements officers in the country as is.

Now, some are going in a box or going to be on disability or recovering.

Danny knew Baez was pissed with him. She didn't utter a word about her thoughts, she didn't have to. The looks she gave him were enough to know he's in the doghouse with her.

It's the same look his wife gives him when he's done something or had forgotten to do something.

When did he get a work wife?

"Baez, where was that arrest report on the dreg we arrested personally?" he questioned her, searching the mountains of paperwork on top of his messy desk.

"Right here," her voice monotoned as she handed it to him, not looking up from her reports.

The squad room was a clamorous collective as law enforcement officers were running back and forth, phones ringing constantly, arrested individuals being escorted to lockup and then processing.

It was a miracle anyone could hear themselves think in this place.

While the two detectives were filing paperwork, a loud deep and annoyed voice called out, "Reagan! Baez! Where are those arrest and after-action reports?!"

Said detectives turned their heads to the voice already recognizing the rough sounding voice.

"Coming right up, Lieutenant Allen," the Latina woman answered returning her gaze back to the report she was finishing up on.

Lieutenant Crisspus Allen, narrowed his aging eyes on the pair. He was an African American male, who was once part of Metropolis PD, but had transferred to Gotham over twenty years ago, after the then Police Commissioner James Gordon, personally requested him to work in the Major Crimes Unit.

The veteran was considered one of the last good police officers of his generation. One of the few that stayed true blue while others quit the force and volunteered to join Superman's personal army.

He lost a lot of good friends, who fought with the Insurgency. Renee Montoya. James Gordon. Harvey Bullock. All dead now.

Now he ran GCPD's Homicide Division.

"I want those reports by lunch," he ordered.

"You got it, LT," Reagan confirmed with his usual gruff.

Allen returned to his office after hearing that and shut his door. Leaving the partners to finish up their work.

An almost uncomfortable silence brewed between the pair, until it was too much for Danny to ignore any further.

"Alright, enough. You got something to say why don't you say it?" Danny started, shutting one of the manila folders on his desk.

Marie, glanced up from her paperwork, letting out a sigh she too shut her folder and leaned back in her chair.

She crossed her arms across her chest, her brown eyes broadcasting looks of disapproval and disappointment. She exhaled, "You already know what I'm going to say."

He flinched, whipping his head away from her direction, groaning. _Here we go,_ he thought.

"You jumped the gun," she began relaying her doubts to him. "Officers got hurt because you're pissed. That's on you!" she pointed at him.

Danny scowled, "Come on! Everyone knows if you wear a badge, there's going to be a day you're not coming home," he argued.

"Well that's bleak," she commented, arguing back.

"It's reality!"

Marie exhaled sharply, "Have you… talked to anyone yet?" she inquired.

"What?! For what?"

Her eyes were sympathetic, "For your brother. It's only been two months since he died," she told him.

"I know it's only been two months!" he yelled at her getting angry quite easily about this specific topic.

"Then do something! Because what ever it is that you have or haven't been doing isn't working!" she yelled back. "Do something before someone gets hurt. A lot of people don't like superheroes anymore. But most don't have high stakes jobs, but you do. Deal with it before you get someone killed," she demanded of him.

He scoffed and stormed off.

"Reagan!" Baez shouted after him, only to be ignored by him. He walked out of the precinct for some fresh air.

Her words stung deeply, but they didn't go unheard. He silently fumed to himself, "Those bastards tricked the whole damn world and a lot of good people died, because some despot thought they could do better than rest of us. Well, no more! Those freaks deserve prison or a bullet in their heads," his anger continued to build as his thoughts went in to overdrive.

He'll never trust superheroes. Ever! Regular people have been protecting the world for centuries. And they will do so know.

And if the Bat thinks he will do their jobs without someone around to stop him. Then he better think again!

* * *

 **Wayne Enterprises**

In Gotham City, there was not one but two Wayne Towers. The original Wayne Tower was created by Alan Wayne, following his father, Solomon and Cyrus Pinkney realizing their vision of the city.

He helped construct a tower, which would be designed with the sole purpose to inspire all its citizens, that not everything in the city was without hope.

Hope still burned in this town.

The original tower was used as the headquarters for Wayne Enterprises located on Miagani Island. Decades later, Alan's descendant, Bruce Wayne, years before the Regime was established, had commissioned for a new Wayne Tower to be established.

Construction began a year after the Metropolis Incident, on Founders' Island. The tower would be even bigger than the original, completely state of the art.

In the words of Bruce Wayne, "Revolutionized."

It would be named Wayne International Plaza, the new headquarters of the conglomerate.

While the Old Wayne Tower, would not be forgotten nor condemned. Wayne had the tower donated to the city as a tourist attraction. The building, a historic landmark, would never be touched by the filthy hands of greedy politicians, for a cheap fee.

For a very cheap fee, all citizens of Gotham could go to the observation deck and see the whole city from up there.

There everyone could experience Alan Wayne's idea of truly seeing the city for what it was. Darkest just before the dawn.

This city may be wicked, but it was a city that loved its' people in its' own way.

Within the boardroom of the multinational conglomerate, were its displeased board members. The person they have been waiting on was almost thirty minutes late.

Several board members check their watches impatiently. Others tap their fingers or pens trying to stifle their boredom.

This was not the best impression the boss was leaving them.

Luke Fox anxiously checked his watch, wondering where the hell was Logan.

A male member of the board made a comment, "It appears the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Luke turned and noticed it was William Earle, a white-haired man in his later years. He's been a part of this company for as long as Luke could remember. It was amazing Luke got the job of Chief Financial Officer instead of Earle.

Basically, Luke oversaw the company.

"It appears so," another man uttered. That man was Jordan Pryce, a recent addition to the board. And it was fairly obvious he wanted to be the head of the company. He heard all about Bruce Wayne's lack of interest in the company. Hell, Lucius Fox practically ran the company before Wayne croaked.

Although, he had to get past several individuals to even get a shot at the position.

Although, that was a pipedream considering whom had a majority share of Wayne Enterprises.

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence?" another person asked aloud. This time it was a woman, by the name of Regina Zellerbach, a brown-haired middle-aged woman.

Luke held up a hand, "I assure everyone, Mr. Wayne is on his way," he reassured the board. He damn well better be.

He told Logan to get his ass to this meeting.

The door to the room opened and Logan Wayne walked in slightly out of breath, dressed in a black suit and tie with a blue shirt.

His black hair neatly groomed and combed back and cleanly shaved.

Luke inwardly took a relieving breath. He was worried he was going to have to handle damage control.

Some board members gave the young man some odd looks. Some still have misgivings regarding Logan's claim to the Wayne name and fortune.

But Bruce never did anything half-way. Logan's cover identity was made public knowledge following Bruce's death, giving people reassurances that the Wayne line was still going strong.

The reason Logan's existence wasn't made public sooner was due to Bruce wanting his son to have a life away from the paparazzi.

Everything about Logan till today, was a forgery. School records, school diploma's, birth certificate, driver's license. Everything.

The mother's name on his birth certificate was also a forgery. The identity was established as well as making it appear the mother existed.

Well, yes, Logan has a mother like every other person in the world. But she's the reason all of this had to be happen.

"I apologize for being tardy," Logan started saying making his way to his seat at the head of the table. "But I was just catching up on some current events," he explained. His voice was slightly high and cheerful.

"No problem at all, Mr. Wayne," Celia Kazantkakis reasoned pleasantly. She was another gray-haired older woman of Greek descent. She to has been part of this company for many years since before Logan's father died.

Logan sat down, he exhaled sharply, "So," he smiled lightly. "Shall we get started?"

Delilah Wagner, a shoulder length brown-haired woman, scowled disapprovingly. "Mr. Wayne," she called catching the man's attention. "You are thirty minutes late," she reprimanded. She gestured to everyone at the table, "We have been waiting for you to arrive so we can start. It seems you are not up to the task of being here on time let alone running a company," she finished her scolding.

Logan simply gave her a blank look, unfazed by her. He had two options: He could argue with her or he could get on with the meeting?

He chose the latter.

"I apologize, shall we begin?"

"Yes," Luke jumped in, anxious to finish the meeting so he could scream at Logan for this stunt. "Mr. Treadwell, would you like to begin?" Luke opened the floor to another aging African American man with receding white hair.

"Ah, yes," the man words stumbled. "Well as you can see on page thirty-five," he instructed the others to open the stack of papers in front of them.

Logan, however, made no such move, earning ire looks from the board.

Treadwell, continued, "Since Mr. Wayne took the reins our stocks have fallen by—"

"1.3% since our previous two quarters," Logan finished for the man. The board members heads whipped to Logan surprise expressions on their faces. "Although, business is good considering the change in leadership. Stocks are still high as well as profits," Logan stated with a bored expression and tone.

"Th-that's, well, yes," Treadwell stammered unnerved.

"How do you-?" Jordon Pryce started to say only for Logan to interrupt him.

"Why do you think I was late?" he answered with a mild smirk on his lips. "I am aware of what goes on here and I know what each and every one of you think of me," the young billionaire said to them. "As well as what you are whispering among yourselves," he informed them knowingly.

Several members appeared pale.

"How some of you are considering having me terminated from my family's company," a stern appearance on Logan's face, slight annoyance mingled together in his words.

"Well, you barely have a college degree in any field," Regina interjected.

"Don't worry," Luke interceded calmly. "Logan's enrolled in business school," he informed everyone in the room.

"I have?" Logan whispered skeptically.

"You have," Luke replied evenly.

Glaring blue eyes were sent the older man's way. Logan silently grumbled to himself, fuming that he and Luke will have words after this tedious board meeting.

"That's swell and all, but I still have doubts about his competency to run this corporation," Pryce voiced. A sly look in his eyes, many know it as willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

Logan released a haggard breath before he turned with a confident and strong impression, "I can do both and Luke is here to make sure I don't run this business into the ground," he joked, though it fell on deaf ears.

Earle displeased, voiced harshly, "I do not find this amusing Mr. Wayne."

"Agreed," Delilah sided with the older man.

Luke tried his best to deescalate the situation, "Bruce Wayne's will instructed for Logan to be given Wayne Enterprises when he came of age along with the rest of his inheritance."

"If he's really Bruce Wayne's son," Regina reentered the conversation, skeptical of Logan's legitimacy.

"I assure you, Logan is Bruce Wayne's son," Luke maintained vehemently.

"How?" Pryce demanded. "Bruce Wayne's philandering is well documented; he could have a dozen children!"

"Let's not speak ill of the dead, shall we?" Logan interjected, with a warning brow raised. "Everyone dies with some sin in their lives."

"I've known the Wayne's for years, my father and myself can vouch for Logan legitimacy," Luke maintained. "Plus, all the necessary paperwork and DNA tests proving so."

"Enough!" Logan half-heartedly yelled. A scowl grew on his face as the bickering started to get out of hand, "I am Bruce Wayne's son," he maintained heavily. "This company is mine, everything here is mine."

His eyes beamed daringly, "Now, if you don't believe that then I suggest you leave," he folded his hands a top of the table. "I am the controlling shareholder of this company. My family built this company and it will always have a Wayne to run it," he swore.

"Now if you try and challenge that," he trailed off, "well, I'm quite confident I have deeper pockets than all of you," his lips pursed.

He unfolded his hands and slammed the palm of his hand on the table making a few members jump, "So, you can either get on board, keep your absurd salaries and be a part of what's to come or you can go and take your chances somewhere else," he offered a dangerous smile tugged at his lips.

"Because, what I have planned at Wayne Enterprises is innovative. Would you want to be a part of that? Have your names remembered in history as one of the few that changed this city, this country, this world into something better?"

Each board member glanced at the each other apprehensively, it appears they erred greatly.

Luke was frozen in his chair, he glanced at Logan worriedly. He's letting the bat out. What are they supposed to do about his cover?

"My offer stands for the next five seconds," he warned, pushing the envelope a little too far, even for him.

Earle swallowed nervously, "I-I suppose it's only far to give you a chance," he gave in.

The others promptly joined him in agreement.

The Wayne heir smirked wryly, "So, glad you see things my way," he answered. He looked back at Treadwell, "Mr. Treadwell," said man stiffened, "would you please continue where we last left off. I'm sure there won't be any more interruptions," he warned.

Some members were sweating, but otherwise remained silent.

Logan's threat along with the seductive idea of what was to come for Wayne Enterprises proved too tempting to pass up for them to cause any trouble.

However, the billionaire will still need to keep an eye on several people in this room.

But all and all everything's going smoothly.

He may have destroyed the playboy idiot routine his father maintained, but there were other covers he could use.

Logan refocused himself to the meeting and would deal with what ever else came next later. Right now, his family's company came first.

The meeting went off without any trouble. A couple hours later, Logan was in his office leaning back in his chair, with his eyes shut.

He needed a moment to rest his weary mind. Alien despots were one thing, bickering businessmen were another headache entirely.

He silently wondered to himself, when could he go back to sleep. His body ached from last night, he could use a power nap. He wondered if he could get a bed installed in here.

He slowly opened his eyes and in his peripheral he noticed the portrait of his father and another of his father with his parents as a child.

The young man had that portrait sent to his office when he was given the company. He thought it was best if it stayed with him in his office.

He didn't have the heart to throw it away. He was sensitive when came to his father.

A buzz on the intercom pulled him from his thoughts. He answered, 'Yes?" his voice flat.

"Mr. Wayne, your one o 'clock is here," Logan's secretary called. The young man raised a curious brow, he didn't remember having an appointment at this time.

"Send them in," he commanded.

And as the magic words were spoken, Logan's secretary, Jennifer, walked in.

Now, that wasn't the odd part, Jennifer has been Logan's secretary for last three weeks. During that time, she's come and gone from her bosses' office dozens of times.

The truly strange part was that she was alone.

The young man gave his secretary a peculiar look, "Where's the one o o'clock?"

"I'm your one o'clock," she answered firmly.

"O-kay," Logan uttered confused.

Jennifer sat in front of the man she shared the same age group in. She swallowed the lump in her throat nervously.

Logan merely sat back in his chair, silent, watching her expectantly. For minutes the two were silent before Logan ran out of patience. "Look, Jennifer, I do not have all day here," mild irritation laced his words, though not on his face.

The woman was stiffened after hearing him, still antsy, she mustered the will to speak. "I-I was wondering if you would write me a recommendation," she asked politely and little too fast.

The CEO's brows furrowed at the request. This wasn't something that people asked of him. "Well, I'd be happy to, may I ask for what exactly?" he requested of her cautiously.

She stammered, clearly nervous for making such a request from her boss. "I'm trying to get into business school, and I thought a recommendation from such an impressive company as Wayne Enterprises would reflect really well on me," she explained to him, now relaxed.

Logan was silent for a moment considering her request and processing her explanation. "Sure," he accepted, much to her relief. "But I'm afraid you've only worked for me for a few weeks, not much time to give a good recommendation," extinguishing her hopes.

"Who did you work for previously here? I'm sure someone would give you a recommendation," Logan reasoned.

Jennifer slightly paled, "Uh, um, I," she stammered once again. "I don't think that's necessary," she waved him off. "Yours is enough, Mr. Wayne," she pressed. Although, Logan got the sense she was hiding something.

He eyed her suspiciously, "Jennifer," he said his tone scolding. "Explain," he ordered firmly.

The woman's eyes widened at his warning tone, her head bowed anxious, "Jordan Pryce," she muttered.

The man's eyes narrowed, suspicious at the board member's name.

She shook her head, "He hasn't sexually harassed me or anything like that," she quickly dissuaded her employer from thinking such thoughts. "I just—He makes my skin crawl."

He made a lot of people's skin crawl. He's ambitious and willing to do what ever he must to get what he wanted.

Logan took a moment to process this.

And concluded this could be useful to him in keeping Pryce in line.

He exhaled, "Alright, Jennifer I'll write you a recommendation," he told her.

She released a held breath, "Thank you, Mr. Wayne," she thanked graciously.

"Let me know when you need it by," he requested.

"Not until May," she responded. Plenty of time.

Logan glanced at his watch and noticed the time, "If you'll excuse me, Jennifer, I have a meeting with Mr. Fox."

"Of course, Mr. Wayne. Thanks again!" She got up from her seat and left the man's office and for Luke to hobble in cane in hand.

His dark hair graying and well as parts of his beard. "Logan, we got some things to discuss," he spoke in a friendly kind of way.

"Luke," Logan started, "come right in."

The older man limped to the younger one, his cane aiding him on his trek. Another one of the ones hurt by the Regime. He sat down in front of the billionaire and released an exhausted sigh. "You do realize you just blew the cover of playboy billionaire for yourself, right?"

The younger man scoffed glancing away for a second before returning to his friend, "I won't be a whore," he answered in no uncertain terms.

The dark-skinned man, sighed, "Well, what's your cover going to be know?" he replied exclaimed.

"We'll figure something out," Logan shrugged. "I had to get them on board, appealing to vanity and greed to make them compliant. I can't have them creating a dust up and interfering with our plans," he answered mildly annoyed at having to address this again, he just managed to relax.

A thought struck the Wayne scion, "By the way," he began receiving a curious hum from the older man, signaling his attention, "any whispers of Jordan Pryce being handsy with any of our female employees?" he inquired to the man that's been at the company longer.

Luke shrugged his shoulders slightly, "Just your garden variety playboy," he answered simply. "But that's regarding socialites there's never been any reports or rumors of him being inappropriate with employees here," he explained. "He's a corporate snake but he's not one to ruin his place here. Why?" the man inquired.

"Just checking into something," Logan discouraged the other man.

"You think Pryce's dirty?"

"Perhaps," Logan considered but didn't make any judgments just yet. He'd prefer to have evidence more than just the word of someone condemning another. Retreating from his thoughts, he stared back at Luke, "Look into him for me. If he is doing wrong here, I'd prefer to be ahead of it before it comes to light. Maybe use it to keep him in towing the line. I'm aware of his ambitions and I'd prefer to have him in my sight," Logan reasoned.

The former Batwing numbly nodded his head, "I'll look into it," he promised. "But what if there are victims? Will they be ignored?" he asked finding it horrifying to consider Logan uninterested in protecting others in his company.

"Then we take it to the police and let his victims get justice."

A comfortable silence filled the office. Luke partially berated himself for thinking Logan was unsympathetic to the pain of others.

Logan was reflecting of something else entirely. He spoke to Luke again, "I need a new suit," he stated.

The older man leaned back in his seat, he hummed to himself observing Logan's garments, "Yes, I've seen you in the black and blue suit and while the blue really brings out your eyes, you could use some variety," he joked. "Might I suggest charcoal. You look like a charcoal suit kind of man. No! You look like a vest man."

A blank stare burned through his body. Logan was not amused in the slightest.

Luke raised his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay, it wasn't funny. So, what kind are you looking for?" he requested getting back to the real business.

"I need to be faster. But still have the defensive ability the suit gives me," Logan answered making his thoughts known.

The older man pondered Logan's request, "Hmm, well, what you have now is the state of the art. Defense and fluid-like mobility," he went over the specs of Logan's current batsuit. "It's the same type as the one your…" he paused as he approached sensitive topic, "father wore before he died," he finished feeling guilty about verbalizing it, considering himself to be insensitive about it. He knew Logan was sensitive to that particular topic.

Logan was unreadable, he simply stared back at the man blankly, like he usually does. He does feel his guilt for the loss of his father, but he refused to share it with anyone. It was his burden to carry. No one needed to help him carry it.

"Well?" Logan prompted Luke, who jumped back in surprise, getting back to the matter.

"Oh, well," he caressed his chin deep in thought. "We do have a new type of clothing. We've been experimenting with synthetic clothing and also with a new type of kevlar. Four times as strong as regular kevlar. Projections describe it could withstand a grenade or a bomb at close range," he described. "Although, all of that's just simple theory," he maintained.

"I want it," Logan demanded strongly. This sounds like something that would be necessary for his work.

Luke shrugged his hands up in the air, "You'll have to wait," he told. "It's all essentially an idea on paper right now."

The younger man scowled clearly displeased by this information. He growled, "How long until we have something?" he grumbled.

"Hmm, a couple years? Maybe more," the other man answered.

"Fine," Logan accepted, displeasure on his face.

Luke smirked at Logan's discontent. He got up from his seat and started to head out, he paused momentarily turning back to the other man. "By the way, if you want to salvage your image, the mayor is throwing a fundraiser for the city to rebuild Gotham, considering Metropolis and here we hurt heavily during the Take Down," he informed the man.

The dark-haired young man leaned back in his chair pondering the information. A pregnant pause and then, "I'll consider it," was all he responded with.

That seemed to be enough for the older man for the moment, he nodded and exited the office.

* * *

 **Warehouse District**

In a worn-out warehouse a group of malcontent gang members huddled together bickering about what to do next.

"The Bat dusted the Leader," one Mutant member contributed.

"Leader was weak!"

"Everyone's scattered," one informed the others.

"Boss'll come back! Better than ever!" one loyalist insisted

"The boss is done! The Bat crushed him!"

While the others were arguing amongst themselves, a lone Mutant member sat on a dusty crate. A pen and a notebook in hand he doodled in it.

Page after page, we drawings of a bat symbol. A smile crept on the individual's lips. He witnessed the defeat of the leader. Defeated by the Bat, himself. He witnessed his strength and the frailty of the leader of their gang.

And the Bat made short work of his foe. With strength and brutality. The intensity from the fighting left something inside the young Mutant. Something that craved something.

He overthrew the boss, demonstrating to all the boss was not the King of Gotham, as he claimed himself to be.

And the Bat… he was cool.

An idea formed in the young Mutant's mind.

An idea of a brand-new group. For Gotham's brand-new king.

* * *

 **Well, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! Again I apologize for the hiatus for this story but I am back and ready to write. I have a new strategy. Working on a chapter for two stories at a time. Hopefully, I can make it work! Please review, fav and follow!**

 **FYI I have no idea on any of the business aspects of the chapter,I just did mild research on the topics in question. Also, if any one is wondering Logan's voice is Rino Ramano and the same for his Batman voice from The Batman cartoon series. His voice will change when he gets older and more experienced. Ramano is the closest I could find for the more baritone voice I have in mind from another actor of BM media. I also wanted to demonstrate that Logan doens;t have a problem with women. I read somewhere that children from neglected or abusive mothers tend to have anger towards women. I'm trying to illustrate Logan doesn't have such problems.**

 **Next: Commissioner Reagan and his daughter talk, Barbara and Dinah meet for coffee. And more!**


	4. Chapter 4

The Dark Knight of Tomorrow

Chapter 4

* * *

 **Gotham City- Police Headquarters- Police Commissioner Frank Reagan's Office**

The newly appointed commissioner sat at his desk, bags under his eyes evidence of a sleepless night. Worry adding more wrinkles to his aging visage. The events of the previous night weighed heavily upon him. Although, relief soon mixed into the worry as his daughter was saved by his… ally.

When he heard Batman's voice over their special communication line, as soon as he called his name his heart sank with dread as he assumed the worst, until he heard his daughter's unsteady voice over the line, and his heart almost burst out of his chest in happiness.

He couldn't handle burying another child. Not after Joe.

Relief couldn't even describe what he felt when she spoke to him. From the sound of her voice he knew she was terrified. He hadn't heard her sound like that since she crashed her car when she was sixteen.

He was comforted with knowing that Erin was in the hands of his officers, and was on her way over to his office, having been dropped off by Batman at the nearest precinct last night.

That's twice that he owes the man. Although, the vigilante doesn't seem to be keeping count or expect any favors in return.

To tell the truth, Frank Reagan doesn't know what to do with Gotham's notorious vigilante.

Frank seemed to view himself as the vigilante's reluctant ally. Batman hadn't given the police commissioner any reason to doubt his intentions. Sure, there was that Vincent Fries incident last night but most of the blame rested upon Gothcorp for not having better security in their building or for their laboratories.

He seemed that he just wanted to help protect their home.

The old man believed The Batman was necessary for the times they are in a— post Regime world. His department was seriously undermanned. Resources are low and the budget was being cut thanks to the mayor trying to repair the damages to the city following The Overthrow.

Batman seemed like the resource he needed for the times.

Frank still believed in the law. Being by the book. That was who he was and who he always will be. But he has come to understand that the book can't always protect people.

The system was imperfect. Fitting for an imperfect world.

But the law at its' core was about getting criminals off the streets.

And Batman does just that.

The mustached man will come back to this matter regarding Batman to ponder further later, right now he had a daughter to check in on.

As if she read his mind, his assistant, Baker, knocked on his door. "Yes," Frank called out from behind his desk.

Baker opened the door, appearing professional as always. "Your daughter's here, sir," she informed him.

Solemnly, the man nodded, "Thank you, Baker," he responded. Wordlessly, she exited, and Erin entered his office and surprisingly her boss, Sam Young, followed her in.

Erin appeared worse for wear yet remained professional and brought up a strong front hiding the storm of trauma she was dealing with following her abduction.

"DA Young, what a surprise," Frank greeted pleasantly, as he moved to the man, shaking his hand.

"Commissioner," the fellow mustached man replied, cordially.

With the greetings out of the way, Frank focused on his only daughter. He joined her at his sitting area which consisted of two black leather chairs, a long couch, and a coffee table.

He sat next to her on the couch, gently resting a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright?" he asked her soothingly.

"Yea-ah," she shakily responded, as the events of last night truly rattled her. He offered her a comforting smile, but it didn't do much for her.

Frank turned his head to Sam, "Thank you for coming with her," his gracious gratitude brought a smile to the other man's lips.

"Don't mention it," Sam replied. "Erin's one of my best prosecutors. It's the least I could do."

"And the men responsible?" it took everything Frank had to keep his anger in check. The Mutants' went too far this time. He swore he would do everything in his power to make certain those animals would be locked up for a very long time.

"We'll be holding most of them for the more violent crimes. As well as holding them on gun possession charges. And their leader won't be going anywhere, not that he could. From what I'm hearing he'll be on crutches for a very long time," Sam informed the police commissioner.

It didn't take the Worlds' Greatest Detective to figure out who was responsible for that.

"Erin," he called to her, earning the woman's attention. "I want you to know I will be handling this case personally."

Erin felt mystified as Sam told her he would personally be responsible for her case. Sam hasn't prosecuted anyone in almost five years. He won the election for District Attorney based on years of previous successes before The Regime's grip on Gotham tightened to the point where the law was what Superman said it was.

"Thank you, Sam," the brunette's respect for her boss was profound.

The dark-skinned man nodded, a faint smile on his face, before his eyes turned back to her father, "I'll leave you two alone," he stated as he exited the office, leaving father and daughter alone.

The father of Erin, gave his daughter a few minutes of silence, understanding that she has been through an incredibly traumatic event and needed some time to herself.

Eventually, it was Erin, who ended the silence. "Is Nikki okay?" she expressed with concern over her young daughter.

Frank nodded his head, "She's fine. Grampa took her school," he answered her, dousing her concerns.

"Does she know what happened last night? She's bound to be curious about why I wasn't home?"

The mustached man shook his head, "No, we thought it best to keep her in the dark. Didn't want to worry her too much over something she had no control over," he answered matter-of-factly.

That seemed acceptable to the mother. It was best not to trouble her young daughter over something like this.

She felt her father set a hand on her shoulder once again, giving her a look of concern, "Erin, are you really alright?" he asked again in worry.

She nodded stiffly, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, dad."

"Are you sure?" he pressed.

"I'm fine," she answered strongly, as her father was beginning to get on her nerves with all the questions.

He pulled his hand away, sensing her agitation.

He folded his hands on his lap as he scouted over on the couch giving his daughter some space. His head bowed, staring at the floor, a sullen air around him.

He sighed heavily, looking up from the floor, glancing at no where in particular in his office.

"I'm sorry, Erin. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't become commissioner," Frank apologized, silently berating himself for ever accepting his position.

"Dad, no. You can't blame yourself for my kidnapping," Erin was quick to disperse such doubts from her father. "You've done a lot becoming police commissioner. Besides, the mayor, himself, asked you to come on," Erin explained. "You couldn't have refused him."

"I could have," Frank managed to say, but a look from his daughter was enough to put an end to his stubbornness.

His stubbornness brought a smile to her face, for the first time since last night. Thoughts of last night swirled in her head, her smile slowly vanishing.

Frank was quick to note it yet said nothing. He believed she would confide in him when she was ready.

The events of last night brought about such tumultuous thoughts. The savagery. The wickedness of the human soul. She knew people were capable of such violence, witnessing some from her own cases before The Regime cracked down on Gotham. That was… five years ago.

What stuck with her was a Mutant pinned to a wall by a knife. It… turned her stomach.

Subverting the legal system wasn't the way to attain justice. It brought everyone back to the Salem Witch Trials.

The trail of violence led all the way back to her father.

Finally, Erin spoke again, "How…" her voice earned the man's attention, "how can you work with a man like that?" she demanded of him. Her indignation laced into her words, sounding to Frank that she felt betrayed.

Word spread fast months ago just before the Overthrow, that Frank was recruited by Batman to aid in Gotham's liberation. It spread through the ranks of his department and vague rumors lingered in the district attorney's office. And Erin was one of the first to hear of it.

She immediately denied just rumors. Disbelieving that her father would ever condone vigilantism. It went against everything he ever stood for. He bleed true blue. A dedicated man to the law. A true police officer.

But with accounts stating that the batsignal was activated from police headquarters, it was reasonable to believe that her father worked with a vigilante. It appeared her father was taking a page out of Jim Gordon's playbook.

Carrying out tradition. Well she didn't accept such a tradition.

He exhaled; he knew that this question was coming. He expected it from his prosecutor daughter. He himself has struggled with his alliance with Batman, hell the mayor instructed him to deputize the vigilante.

And the police commissioner was intent on doing so, only for Gotham's protector to decline. Saying he needed to stay in the shadows and have the people look to their heroes on the ground instead of above.

He was inclined to agree with him, so long as Batman didn't go too far. And surprisingly, the vigilante complied with his condition.

"It's not easy, Erin. But I need him, as loathe am I to admit," he confessed. "If it wasn't for him, you would not be sitting here with me right now," he reminded her, he saw her try and hide a flinch at the unintentional jab.

"Why? You have your department," she pointed out, still not accepting her father's stance.

"A department with dwindling resources and understaffed," he maintained. "The mayor's downsizing my department, redistributing our resources to other areas of the city following The Overthrow. Much of the city was damaged. The mayor's busy trying to fix everything while simultaneously cutting off the city's police force," Frank explained, extremely displeasured by the mayor's current agendas.

Unaccepting, Erin pressed forward, "You used to believe in law and order. The law applies to everyone not to a select few," the lawyer in her coming to the forefront of her mind.

Becoming agitated, Frank exclaimed, "I still do, but there are times when the law can't always protect people. I must make the best of what I have. And right now, it's having Batman as an ally."

Erin shook her head, making a face of disgust. "Good luck with that," she said standing to her feet. She started walking to the door. Looking over her shoulder, she spouted, "See where that gets you."

Pulling the door open, she heard her father yell back to her, "We still on for Sunday dinner?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

 **Gotham Square- a coffee shop**

It was a sunny afternoon in Gotham, which was surprising considering the city. Pollution and smug and all that from the industrial district and other factories.

But it seemed to be letting up that day.

It was a meeting between two individuals that was put off for far too long. A shame considering these individuals were considered best friends.

But the hustle and bustle between their lives kept them from communicating for a long time. They only recently got back in touch with each other.

Barbara Gordon and Dinah Lance-Queen were sitting at a table outside a coffee shop in Gotham. Both women were confined to wheelchairs. Barbara, from being shot by The Joker so many years ago. And Dinah, from Superman firing a heat vision beam through her spine. It was nothing short of a miracle that she survived the encounter.

After hours of surgery, the doctors managed to save her life yet couldn't save her legs.

It took a long time for Dinah to adapt to her new life all while raising two children, who were robbed of their father long before Oliver Queen even knew he was going to be a father.

But that was the past, and while Dinah and Barbara drifted apart since the blonde had to withdraw from the Insurgency, they both wanted to rekindle their friendship.

The wheelchair sporting women chatted amongst themselves, reminiscing about the past before Metropolis.

Barbara smiled, "So, how are the kids?" she inquired, greatly interested in her friend's life. It's been a long time since they talked. They only restarted their communications after The Overthrow. When Dinah congratulated Barbara and the son of Batman on their successful victory over the super tyrant.

Although, Logan and Dinah had never met let alone had a conversation. Something which Dinah greatly wanted to rectify.

Logan on the other hand, had other priorities.

"They're fine," Dinah smiled brightly, thinking of her grown children, they should be around Logan's age. "Olivia's in Hong Kong. And Connor is in Tibet," she elaborated.

"Are they… _learning_?" Barbara asked carefully.

The blonde woman nodded in the affirmative. "I thought it best if they learned more out in the real world instead of with me and Ted at home or in a gym. They can't be effective if they haven't really experienced life and death situations."

The redhaired woman nodded slowly in understanding, "I see."

Dinah saw the uneasy expression on her friend's face, "What?"

Barbara swallowed before speaking, "Are you sure you want them to do this? The world's a different place than when we were running around in spandex," she reasoned.

"You wore spandex, I wore a leather jacket and fishnets," the blonde joked.

While it wasn't as humorous as Dinah thought, it still brought out a small smile and laugh from the world's Oracle.

However, Dinah's face quickly turned serious, "I tried to talk them out of it, Barbara. I really did. But they are extremely stubborn. They feel like they must uphold a legacy for Ollie. For me. I tried to dissuade them from putting on masks, but they wouldn't budge on it," she recounted the conversation she had with her children. Sadness appeared on her face, "I told them if they wanted to uphold a legacy work at Queen Industries, but it wasn't enough for them. They wanted more. They wanted revenge, Barbara," Dinah finished, almost sounding desperate.

Sympathy was directed to the blonde from the redhead. Yet a dangerous tingle went down her back, it was that kind of thinking that started everything.

The older woman waved her hand at the other woman, vanquishing her foreboding thoughts, "Don't worry, they won't go poking the bear. I managed to convince them to let the courts do their work. Clark's behind bars as is everyone else responsible," she convinced the younger woman.

Barbara said nothing after that, taking the time to process what Dinah had said.

"Although I wouldn't mind killing the bastard myself," Dinah muttered her breath, however, Barbara still heard her oldest friend.

The thought didn't chill her at all. The bastard deserved to die for all the lives he's taken or destroyed.

Her father. Dick. Tim. Cassandra. Bruce. Oliver.

If you asked her, Logan shouldn't have stopped at crippling him.

But she didn't say anything concerning what she thought should happen to Superman. Logan went as far as he could—as far as he should. And now the world had to live with it.

Getting back to the discussion of Dinah's children, Barbara asked, "Have either of them inherited your 'voice'?"

The answer made a smile grace the mother of two's lips, "Olivia got it. Connor didn't."

A puzzled expression crossed the early forty-year old's face. "Weren't they screened?" she asked.

The early fifty-year old woman simply shrugged, "They were. Perhaps Clark took pity on us and left us alone," she offered her theory.

Barbara, however, didn't buy it. Her face creased up in concentration, her own thoughts going a mile a minute. Could the meta gene been dormant? With the advances in metahuman technology and detection the theory didn't seem viable.

Could… could humanity be realizing a new strain of the meta gene? The mere thought sent a chill down her spine. If the Regime was screening people the old way and the results were negative, could it be they were actual positive?

Could this new strain be undetectable until manifestation?

She needed to investigate this immediately and let Logan know, so he had an idea of what he could be facing in the streets.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts she didn't hear Dinah calling her name. "Yes?" she jolted in her chair.

Her reaction brought a smile to Dinah's face, "I asked if you were seeing anyone?" she repeated casually.

"Uh, no," she was quick to answer. She found the thought foreign to her. Being Oracle had consumed so much of her life, she thought she lost her chance.

She and Dick had a relationship for awhile until he met Starfire. They were seeing each other for a good while and their relationship was strong before the Regime was created. She even fought alongside the Insurgency before she had to leave Earth, a distress message was sent to her from New Tamaran, a world that was home to the refugees of her people.

With great reluctance and regret she departed Earth to aid her people.

It was almost six years into the Regime when she left, and Dick perished in battle.

"Really?" Dinah doubted. "No one crossed your mind?" she persisted.

"Nope."

She pouted playfully and laughed, enjoying their conversation. Barbara slowly joined in and eventually their laughter subsided.

"I missed this," Dinah confessed.

"Me too," Barbara returned. "How long are you in town for?"

"The rest of the week. I'm doing some work for Queen Industries," she responded.

"Well, let's do lunch before you go," Barbara stated, desiring to mend the rift between the pair.

Suddenly, Dinah entreated, "Has he asked about me?" she appeared apprehensive.

He? The redhead was puzzled regarding the noun of her question until the answer hit her like a rock.

"Logan?" she tried to clarify. Receiving a nod, Barbara appeared hesitant, "Uh, well," she tried to answer the woman carefully but had difficultly answering.

Dinah's eyebrows scrunched up sensing something was off.

"He… doesn't pay attention to unimportant things," Barbara put rather bluntly.

"Oh."

Dinah tried not to pretend she wasn't little hurt by her words and the reality that Logan didn't think much of her.

She fought alongside his father for years until she was unfit to carry on the fight. Her guilt for abandoning Bruce in his time of need haunted her for years.

"Dinah," Barbara said softly, laying her hand on top of hers. "Don't take it personally. He's had a… difficult life," she put prudently, trying to spare the other woman's feelings.

"I see," she replied delicately, guilt still eating at her from the past.

"Logan doesn't hold anything against you," she confessed. "He just has other priorities. You were injured and had babies needing to be cared for," she reminded her. "He can't hold that against you."

Downtrodden, Dinah nodded, "Yes, you're right," she admitted. Immediately, Dinah brightened up and asked, "So, anything else with you?"

Barbara smiled, fondly remembering Dinah cheerfulness. She hasn't changed much in all these years.

* * *

 **Metropolis Harbor-The Trench**

The Trench was Superman's personal prison, holding some of the most dangerous criminals from his era. He saw fit to keep some of them imprisoned in case their abilities were necessary in future crises. Although, supercriminals weren't the only ones incarcerated there. Some of the Insurgency were held there, either for information or to make an example. They faced "Regime Justice", although it was all for show really. To make the change more comfortable, for Superman's One Earth Government. All the worlds' leaders reported to him about whatever occurred in their countries. Autonomy was a falsehood. The world believed their leaders worked for the people, but they really worked for Superman. No one made a move without the Kryptonian tyrant's say so.

It was located at the bottom of the harbor, its location too daunting for escape, due to water pressure and fear of drowning.

By presidential order, all prisoners were to be removed from the underwater facility and transferred to a more humane correctional facility. Where each prisoner would have their cases investigated and their fate to be determined by a true court of law.

The Trench's warden was removed without incident, he will be charged, and his fate decided by a court of men and women.

Reconfigured submarines were used as transportation to and from the facility, the vehicles reconfiguration made it possible for it to carry prisoners to the surface.

Each meta powered prisoner were equipped with a power dampener handcuffs to keep them in check.

Among the prisoners were two individuals, who were considered legends. Some said they were part of a golden age. These men were far older than they appeared, each having their own special situation.

They were originally the first to disapprove of Superman's Regime as well as the actions of their successors.

They were defeated and imprisoned in cells that nullified their powers. They were spared their life's only out of the respect the former Justice League had for them.

The Insurgency never could breach the prison to free them and increase their forces. So, they had to press on without them.

With a vow to return and free them.

Apparently, the president fulfilled that wish instead.

Two government soldiers patrolled the prison. Over sixty percent of the prisoners had been brought topside and placed into armored caravans.

Their assault weapons were primed and ready, pressed against their chests, pointed at an angle. No one was taking any chances; this was still a prison filled with dangerous individuals.

They strolled the corridors vigilantly, checking every cell, inspecting the contents, making sure there were no stragglers on their designated floor.

So far there has been no trouble from the prisoners. Some taunted their liberators, attempting to act tough, but the suppression collars on them shocked them into cooperation.

The two soldiers patrolled the sector until they came upon a cell at the far end of the floor. It was dark around the door, which struck them as odd considering the rest of the floor was lit up with florescent light.

The soldiers shared a look. Cautiously, they pressed forward. As one got closer, he leaned in to see if there was anyone inside.

Judging the cell too dark to see, the soldier turned to his partner, "Whose cell is this?"

His fellow soldier shrugged. He pulled out a small tablet like device, going through the registry of prisoners searching for the inmate that was housed in here.

Impatiently, the soldier accessed the master key unlocking the cell door. His partner's head shot upward from looking at the tablet, "The hell are you doing?!"

"Relax," the forward soldier told his partner. "We have guns. And the suppression collars," he stated confidently.

His partner sent an annoyed look towards his partner. This was a breach in procedure. They weren't supposed to open cells without a squad with them.

The leading soldier saw only darkness as the hydraulics worked motioning the door, sliding to the side.

They met only darkness.

One pulled out a flashlight shining its light into the void. The soldier stepped forward, leaving his partner behind, who still busied himself scrolling through the registry.

He shined the light searching the cell, what he saw made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Claw marks marred the walls in downward slashes. Some were at an angle.

He took a closer look at the walls, his curiosity compelled him to take a step into the cell.

Mathematical equations were sprawled on the walls, as well as on the floor and ceiling.

 _How in the hell does someone reach that high?_ The soldier couldn't help but wonder to himself, the cell housed quite a bit of room. You would have to be ten feet tall to reach the ceiling or be quite the jumper.

He blindly searched the cell and found its inmate gone. But they haven't finished clearing this floor.

The beam of light went over letters scratched into the wall; it took the soldier seconds before immediately going back to the letters. His brain firing recognition into his receptors.

His eyes narrowed as he could make out the letters.

Francine.

Who was that?

Still trained on the name, the soldier shouted to his partner, "Find out whose cell this is?"

"Yeah!" his partner returned.

"Well?" he gave some attitude.

"Kirk Langstrom AKA Man-Bat," the solider replied, the weight of the realization struck him hard. He slowly looked up from the tablet, eyes wide meeting his partner.

"So, where the hell is he?" the soldier in the dark cell inquired, becoming agitated.

"Sound the alarm!" the one outside the cell commanded. He soon was joined by his partner reporting to their commanding officer.

Immediately, alarms blare with a deafening echo. Throughout the prison soldiers marched searching for the unaccounted inmate.

Soldiers aboard the submarines did a head count, making sure no stone was unturned.

Those on the mainland guarded the prisoners awaiting transport. Others kept a vigilant eye on the skies. The missing inmate had flight capabilities with a history of attacking people.

Regardless of their efforts, there was no sign of Man-Bat.

Two miles away, the sea exploded as a giant beast emerged for the sea. It's brown fur damp from its impromptu nightly swim.

The creature's mighty wings gave flight, with great flaps it took to the air. A bellowing screech deafened the night sky.

A destination in mind and a clear path already mentally mapped out.

It took years but its finally free. And it will have vengeance for transgressions committed against it.

Gotham City… and its people don't know what awaits them.

Vengeance belongs to Man-Bat!

"SSSKKKKKRRRRRIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"

* * *

 **NEXT: Acolytes Attack, and a partnership questioned?**

 **Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows! Please remember to review, fav, and follow! Let me hear your input!**


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